Merman's Quest
by JeffC FTW
Summary: A human girl and a merman fall in love while danger surrounds them and those they cherish - beneath the sea and on the surface. (FemNaruto/Merman!Itachi)
1. Aqua World

**First merman!Itachi fic, and a femNaruto. :D Who'd have thought I'd do THAT? But I have done a female version of a main male character once or twice before, but not for Naruto. Anyway, this new story of mine is in thanks to movies like Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, The Little Mermaid, and Aquamarine. Fics from here on include "Shark Bait" by 404wan and "Splash of Colors" by kenmadoll (both unfinished but still great). Each chapter is also named after (as usually) and inspired by pieces from one of my favorite YouTube composers, Derek and Brandon Fiechter. The legend of the** _ **ningyo**_ **(Japanese mermaid) is also to thank.**

 **Absolutely nothing belongs to me. :(**

Chapter One

Aqua World

The mist was clearing, and the waves were subsiding. If they were all living in medieval or period times, this thing would be rickety and would require brutal hands and body work on ropes and the flags overhead to protect against a murderous storm that came their way.

The industry was facing one of its greatest challenges yet despite the fact business was good as usual, and they were heading home with the season's worth.

Despite the fact that Japan was the largest nation in the fishing corporation, on both farm life and within the surrounding sea, the time and difficulty preparing consumption of fish as well as imports continued to increase since the eighties. Notable numbers of the population blamed global warming, and others greedy fishermen who illegally caught fish without permits. The latter was seldom proven concrete. Yet despite this, it was the honest life he'd wanted for himself and his family.

His ship was one he'd personally requested with what funds he had left from his old career, slowly paid in parts without taking out of his family's life savings. The yellow hull he'd painted with help ended up a dull mustard instead of the vivid sun he'd imagine. It was an old factory ship used to process and freeze what was caught fresh from the ocean - both fish and whale mostly, the latter threatened with extinction depending on the species. Processing vessels like this one was growing dramatically and outshone simple little fishermen's boats up the river and on the lakes.

He personally named it the "Yellow Flash" - _Kiiro no Furasshu_ in his tongue. Its engines were configured to be the fastest ship above the others today.

Amongst the caught and consumed within Konoha and surrounding nations were salmon, shrimp and tuna, and they were imported the most. But the imports were being lowered for prices' sake by the government; as a result, it was now insisting its people keep whatever they caught for each other. There were also the best catches according to season: spring's bonito, autumn's squid and saury, as well as the summer favorite which was the yellow-tailed snapper. Which brought Minato to the present.

 _We got more than those anglers down there managed this time._ To think those pin needle-jawed fiends were going to devour their catch before they could. Animals devoured each other beneath the waters as humans would each other in terms of survival, if not in the literal sense.

The _Yellow Flash_ didn't hit a reef again as it did the last time, but these areas were charted better than the olden periods ever were. Yellowtails resided even in deeper, open waters besides coral reefs; the length would be thirty to one hundred and twenty feet of water. He and his fellow fishermen had one more week out here before they would head home for another two weeks and then come out for more.

Whale was out of the question on his boat, if it risked a decline in profits, but some things were best left as they were. Minato set that standard himself out of other living options.

The net sailed over their heads and dribbled massively on deck as the prize was brought over the railing. Whistles and cheers sounded after days of leaving bags of chum at the bottom for the prey. _As per usual, three million tons._ Which Kakashi Hatake voiced aloud, knowing what he was thinking all too well.

Kakashi was his "first mate" and the one who suggested he take up fishing even if times were hard. Either way, it was a peaceful living compared to the sufferage of wartime for their people. Minato owed the younger, silver-haired man his life. Kakashi grew up an orphan and had to resort to every means he could to live, that at a point the Namikaze considered him as a younger brother he never had. In fact, when his wife was pregnant, Hatake protected her for Minato while he and the man who was his superior and like a father to him went after the one responsible...resulting in the culprit vanishing from the face of the earth. That was the main reason he left the forces, but chose to keep in touch every now and then.

"That should be it, Captain," Asuma Sarutobi noted after a long drag of his cigarette. "Now we all can put them in the freezer and head home. Kurenai and I can't wait to see the kid again."

 _Kushina and Naru will be happy to see me, too._

The majority of the crew of the _Yellow Flash_ had families and children of their own, and a small percent were college students on spring or summer break working to gain experience for the real world. Among was Shikamaru Nara, whose father was a tactics spy in the Konoha Police Force. Minato stifled a chuckle when he heard the young man mutter, "It's a relief. This has all been a drag." _It's been for us all, kid,_ he wanted to say. But the good news was there was enough fish for all of them; winter to come in more months was the best as there was crab and shrimp. These fellows were not that different from the king of Alaska.

"Well, do you find it a bit odd, Minato?" Kakashi asked, handing the blond man a hankerchief to wipe the sweat off his brow. "The... _Red Dawn_ -" He lowered his voice to a hush for that forbidden name. "- hasn't been around in the last couple weeks."

Minato had to agree. For all they knew, their biggest competition - the red-hulled "Red Dawn" factory ship, otherwise known as _Akatsuki_ \- hadn't been seen or heard from since the last incident. No one knew who their members or even their captain in charge were, but their methods of fishing were branded in the category of illegal. They were never caught, no one ever saw them coming even if you tried to prepare for their next move...

It seemed the Kami above were smiling on them today.

~o~

"Poor little guys," Shisui said sadly, shaking his head. The great net wrapped around the latest line of unfortunate yellowtails after their meal was lured down to them. Pieces of fish remains drifted out from the metal boxes and baskets that were lowered from the great ship above them. The great shadow cast darkness in a ray down the ocean's depths, over this particular area where the snappers were fasting now...only to be ensnared by a fate as equally damning for them as it was being prey for the anglers.

And the other creatures themselves who watched the scene behind a collection of coral and seaweed.

They were both male, human in the top half but fish-like in the bottom. Their tails were both black, with the fins glimmering silver as well as the ones that ran up their backs to the bases of their skulls. But one had long, wild raven hair as well as shimmering hints of red in his scales and fins, the other bearing streaks of white and short, curling hair atop his head. The latter was Shisui Uchiha, a member of one of the oldest and sole surviving clans beneath the Eastern Ocean.

The other was Itachi, his cousin who was younger than he, and considered the more beautiful of the two, and he was aware of it himself. His younger brother, who was not present, came in second.

Their kind was a rare sight amongst others of the tales told between the humans for centuries. They were called _ningyo_ \- otherwise mermaid or merman, sex-wise like the humans. However, as stated, the Uchiha and a couple other oceanic clans were rare and miraculously still alive, whereas other merfolk were known in the region to be far from appealing to the eye unlike their Western and Mediterranean counterparts. The common carried bony features, simian-like features as well as deadly claws to ensnare their prey amongst the schools of fish and other marine. In other words, the Asian kinds were depicted as nightmarish and to pay heed.

It was not that the Uchiha's resemblance to the breeds of the west were unheard of, but they were simply rare compared to the dominating beasts. This had begun towards the fall of the Edo era in the region of Japanese waters to the American and Caribbean regions. The known clans to stem from those who migrated from across were his and Shisui's own Uchiha, followed by Senju, Haruno and Yamanaka. There wasn't anyone who was not connected by immediate and distant blood or marriage.

Itachi was to be the next in line, as chief of his kin. The current, the old Fugaku - if not that old - would soon retire and put his eldest son in the seat. The Uchiha and Senju were like oil and water over who would rule the underwater realm, but two sides of the same coin coincided for the greater good.

He shouldn't be out here at this time, though Shisui did drag him out once in awhile to get away from Fugaku and the demeaning drills. The punishments were severe, but it was nothing he couldn't handle. Sasuke was to be spared from the humiliation of being flogged in public before their brethren and allies. The Uchiha pain tolerance - with extreme care to not bleed and attract sharks - was high, but they all were. A human being was fragile compared to them.

The great net above brought him out of his musings. The humans became more advanced with the ways of marine fishing as the ages passed. As a consequence, certain species were becoming less and less, such as the whales. Not every human was the same, but these ones in particular were on their hate list. Neither of them or any of their people would think about taking ANY of the bait from the fishermen.

Shisui cleared his throat as the danger vanished, taking the catch with it. "Well, now that that's out of the way, how about we get what we came all the way out here for, cousin?" He grinned, and Itachi's slight smile was managed best.

The long-haired Uchiha gave a short nod and was the first to glide from behind the coral, his tail fin shimmering powerfully. Any remaining yellowtails to eat with his favorite seaweed, he was looking forward to it. It was one of the things his mother didn't like, which was spoiling his appetite before the family dinner. He wasn't ungrateful or anything, but he was a maturing merman and took advantage when the opportunity presented itself.

Shisui also did teach him that there was more to sea life than just within the palace walls.

~o~

Finally, the day was over! Now she could go see Hinata and convince her that a couple hours on the beach, sipping the best beverages and such would be worth the long hours and entire week waiting. _It's going to be a summer bomb, believe it!_ She thought this with a blinding grin that the sun flashed off on her even, pearly white teeth.

Naru Uzumaki was a rare exception to go to college, and so was her lifelong best friend, Hinata Hyuuga. Majoring in marine sciences and environmentalism. Her mother was an acting environmentalist herself, breaking her sweat, blood and tears to preserve the wild while her husband fished out in the sea for survival. Kushina had a hell of a temper when someone interfered with that, but at the same time, you did what you had to in order to survive. Their country was hitting a rough spot with the marine industry, and a main reason was the small, slowly growing number of illegal fishermen out there. One was called the _Red Dawn_ , which her father Minato told her about.

If she had all the power, more than now, she would have been a member of the government to condemn these bastards. A handful of her friends had connections or were within the body themselves.

But no one wanted to use her own fist other than Kushina herself. It was scary to see the woman's face get so red it matched her hair as well as the blazing white eyeballs and visible, pounding vein. Even when her own, equally hot-blooded, hyperactive daughter got out of line in childhood, she would be the butt of Kushina's red hot temperament.

Poor Minato would stay by in fear of being a part of his wife's wrath.

Their only daughter, Naru - whom they named after the main character, Naruto, in a book written by Minato's mentor, but shortened it to a feminine version since the character was male - walked the streets of Konoha on a breezy summer day in a light, gauzy tan dress that hid her assets, snugged her upper body but flared at the waist, the sleeves three quarters in length. Around her nicely shaped waist was a small dark belt which was a drawstring. She had her hair in a high ponytail; it was yellow-gold like her father, and she inherited his bright blue eyes which crackled with electricity. Her earrings, necklace and ring - which she wore around her right forefinger - were rose-gold and consisting of three lines crossed with three crystals, giving off positive energy in negative. She hadn't had any new jewelry since high school years when the economy began to drop that it was insisted she keep what she had already and was content. She never saw herself spoiled, although some disagreed. Minato loved his daughter as much as he loved his wife, and he'd been the finest ever in Konoha's recent years, but what happened to the family not long before she was born had caused him so much guilt that he had to quit and become an honest fisherman.

Kushina was home when she arrived, but it wasn't her fire-haired mother whom Naru greeted as soon as she walked through the door. During summer, she worked with her mother because she cared about Konoha's way of life as much as Kushina did - even if some of those issues concerning animal life and pollution would be trouble for the people and how they lived at home. But you would never be able to make _everyone_ happy if you wanted to. "Kurama! Good boy, did you miss me?" She laughed and dropped to her knees when the buzz of red-orange came her way and jumped onto her, licking her face then and there.

Just how the hell could anyone call this adorable guy a pest, like they treated others of his kind? The red fox had long since been hunted for its fur and other reasons, which was monstrous, and it wasn't even that big of a threat to humanity! _They only attack when provoked, and they eat smaller animals with meat._ She'd been in the forest when her group got word that hunters were trespassing a certain area of Konoha's woods, so they were secretly called to investigate and then free the animals - but bring them to the lab for testing on diseases before releasing back into the wild.

All it took was a simple eye contact with the single fox in custody. Whose eyes, you ask? Naru's. She simply made a connection by fate as if finding a soul mate.

Kushina had been adamant about bringing a wild animal into her home, and it took a hell of a lot of convincing to the government and the paperwork needed. It was legal to take a wild animal you saved into your home if you could tame it. But Kurama had warmed up to her. Naru named him that way because he was the great survivor of his family and kin being taken from him before she and company arrived, which boiled her blood to optimum levels - and she was allowed to pummel the perps to a bloody pulp with Mama Kushina beside her. And before anyone could judge her, it felt better than going to the gym.

"Oh, boy, you're getting better!" Naru exclaimed, picking him up. He was only a few years old, and like others of his kind, he was allowed to leave the den when he was almost four weeks old. His weight would eventually become so heavy that she would have trouble carrying him now.

Kurama whimpered and scurried ahead at the harsh call across the house. "Naru, you'd better get in here! Your father is going to be home soon." She paused momentarily in her tracks. Minato was done with his course and was coming home, for another couple weeks. She was half excited, and the other half was a bit disappointed. Hinata would have to wait then.

The fox looked up at her and barked a little, his tail swishing out in a random loop. His little grin told her he was planning a little surprise when Minato came back. She laughed and shooed him forward. This was why foxes were so sacred in her native folklore and others'; they were tricky ones, indeed.

There stood the lady of the house herself, at the sink and setting up the table. Minato would be bringing in the newest of the food. Naru was ecstatic; ramen was her favorite food, but she also loved Mom's cooking and the fresh catch Dad brought home. She even learned how to prepare family meals like this for when she someday found a husband and started a family.

The door opened, and Minato arrived right on schedule. It was none other than the seasonal yellowtail snapper. Naru's mouth watered as she thought of the light flaky mean that tasted so sweet it was indescribable...

Kurama ran up to the man himself, who laughed and nearly tripped. "Are you trying to kill the man of the house, buddy?" he exclaimed, bending down and petting the fox's snout.

"Just makes me wonder why I agreed to let our daughter keep the little beast," Kushina stated with a grunt, going up to her husband and kissing him, taking the bag of catch from him, thrusting it into Naru's hands. "You know what to do, little lady!" she said, changing to her sweet, toothy smile in a heartbeat.

Naru bit back her sigh to not set off her mother today, and when she turned to head back into the kitchen, she passed the wedding picture of her parents on the wall - with the two of them on the beach, and Kushina had been pregnant at the time, roughly seven months. The dress was blushing, ethereal and floating over her body, but her face was a much darker shade as her new husband leaned in to kiss her like there was no tomorrow. That alone brought a fire to Naru's cheeks - but as soon as she was in the kitchen, she heard her dad speak to her mother with dire gravity.

"... _Red Dawn_ still isn't active. It's possible they're laying low. I have a feeling Jiraiya will get something eventually." He sighed sharply, which made Kushina furrow her brow; Naru didn't need to look to know, since she knew her mother too well.

"You think they could call you back?"

There was a pause before Minato answered. He'd quit the force just before his daughter was born; the latter worried about this, because if this was that guy who almost killed her mother... "It might be possible, Kushina." There was the sound of him pecking her with a kiss. "I hope not. But he's been hidden since we found him out, and he's been quiet all these years..."

 _This bastard...could he be tied to_ Red Dawn? _I'm no police officer, because it's only a theory that means nothing unless proven._ Naru put this to the back of her mind for now and focused on washing off remaining ice pieces from the fish in the sink.

 **Research I did shows Japan along with China is one of the largest consumers of marine life, gaining 7.5 billion tons a year in fish (which is primarily its main food as breakfast, lunch and dinner anytime). A known foreign rival is Scandanavia. However, the fact is that the industry is slowly declining. Given this story fits somewhere in the early 2000s, this device is vital to main events.**

 **The information about the yellowtail snapper is from Wiki. I also don't know how much is caught in millions of tons, so it was a best guess.**

 **The** _ **ningyo**_ **in folklore, unlike Western and Mediterrabean myth, are depicted actually as more hideous than beautiful, for their notable features consist of the following: deformed fish-like features, claws, monkey-like teeth; the closest positive sides could be they have golden scales and a flute's voice, and their famed flesh tasting so could it could give the eater life everlasting (unless they choose to take their own life). However, it wasn't unheard of in terms of** _ **ningyo**_ **having the attractive upper human body and the fish lower body, claimed to have been spotted in the waters from Japan to the West, during the Edo period.**

 **Since we have our beloved Uchiha and others as these sea creatures, I didn't want to COMPLETELY stick to original lore, but to find a balance between in terms of their appearances.**


	2. Oceanic Realm

**Okay, update (1/16/2019): in doing a current story and having grown to love the short version of Naru, I am changing the name of the female lead to just this, along with another story I completed in the past, and that is "The Brightest Star Will Come Out". Naru it officially is. :D**

Chapter Two

Oceanic Realm

Yellowtail and seaweed? As he said before, delicious. Snatching a fish and then finding a place to tear the bones for the meat wasn't hard, but it was best to play it safe away from any sharks nearby. This part of the domain was miles away from the nearest shark pit. His people's diet was fish, seaweed and others which wasn't different from the humans.

This spot was their favorite place to also hide their leftovers, such as the bones. Let it become part of the coral. It was time to go back. The fun was over. As much as he enjoyed it, the time was getting close for his father to notice he was missing - and then someone was calling their names which made his bones go rigid. Shisui looked off with a similar expression, and they both swooped to hide behind a grassland of seaweed. But thankfully, it wasn't Fugaku or someone they didn't trust.

" _Aniki_! Shisui!" It was only Sasuke.

The younger merman could be labeled as the other to have the females fallen off their tails. He was the more rebellious of the brothers, often sneaking out to be with his intended, Sakura of the Haruno clan, in late hours even if there were predators out. But right now, he was here because his supposedly flawless elder brother had snuck out again with their adventurous cousin at an odd time of day. He wanted to see if he could prevent Itachi from getting in trouble with their father, but Itachi didn't need to be watched out for. His job was supposed to do that for his younger sibling.

Shisui let a small smile show at the sight of the black-tailed young man, the silver fins of their clan radiating off the sunbeams above. However, his scales and fins shimmered with lines of blue like the ocean at midnight. His dark hair also had hints of blue, though short and spiked backwards like a bird's end. Itachi had been to the surface only a fair few times, but because the world was risky for his kind, it was safe to remain beneath. Too often were they caught by humans and faced the immediate threat of extinction. Stories of the merfolk existed now to the humans in oral and written tradition, so it was a relief that no one ever tried to search again.

But even though history let them be, one day a foolish human would think to accidentally stumble across them.

Sasuke was still calling for him. The more the boy called, the higher the chance of someone from their clan or the others hearing. Itachi quickly swam out from his hiding place and snuck behind his brother, who did not see him right away until it was too late. He exclaimed furiously. "Itachi, what the hell?! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

The elder chuckled. "If you ask me, little brother, it was _you_ who almost gave away our location," he pointed out. "Father has not noticed I was gone, has he?"

"No, but he was close enough," Sasuke answered coolly, then turned his attention to Shisui who came up to join. "We'd better get back before he does...if you don't want to be flogged for a second time." His eyes narrowed as he locked gazes with Itachi who closed his eyes and began to swim forward, ahead, with no intention of feeling the pain of all eyes on him as his back was nearly split open ages ago the first time he snuck out to see what the outside world was like. If he was going to take over one day, he needed to see himself instead of based on what others had spoke of.

Fugaku had been sorely displeased that his own heir had to experience the ten lashes - and it had been from one of his uncles on his father's side to do this, who called him _ritorupanku_ and got a good pleasure out of it. He had been on the verge of passing out that he did not recall certain looks he was given by those watching. Thankfully it had not been witnessed by Senju, Yamanaka or Haruno. Each clan had their own method of punishment.

"What about you, Sasuke?" Shisui teased as they picked up speed, swimming past seaweed, rainbow schools of fish going past them as they saw the creatures half like them and half like the ones above who hunted for them pass by. The littlest even scurried away because they knew they were the prey to these overgrown sea-men. One of them didn't stand a chance with Shisui who snatched it wriggling with a flexible, practiced hand, and he popped it whole into his mouth before swallowing it in a gulp. "Did you come out here for once for your usual?"

Sasuke huffed. "Like I would tell you about what Sakura and I do. And like either of you really care."

"Yet you still come out here for me," Itachi pointed out, knowingly. _Little brother won't admit it, but I know him better than anyone._

"I was considering that I should go to the surface."

The bold statement made the trio freeze at once. "Sasuke!" Shisui scolded, torn between smiling and being serious. "You're seriously thinking about going up to the surface and risk being spotted."

"Because why would Father be so dead-set like the others to keep us sheltered for so long?" Sasuke replied heatedly, which concerned his elder brother greatly. "Besides, Sakura said she had been there a few times with Tsunade-sama, and they are still here, are they not? If they can do it, so can we." He glowered ahead and refused to look at either of them as they neared the Uchiha compound. The sculptures of coral and mercury, dusty gold peeling from centuries of life, were in range. The best way to get in without being spotted was through the secret cave in the bottom of the gate.

Itachi had never felt so conflicted. His brother talked about this so lightly as if it was nothing more than a game. He never encountered a human face to face. Why should he risk his life for this? His destiny amongst his people was nothing like these. He had a place, a family - his brother and cousin especially - so why get reckless and breach the surface to see life pass them by?

To his surprise, Shisui seemed enthralled. The one who always brought him outside these walls but held him back like his rock in face of danger, taught him how life was besides inside the palace - he was agreeing to this!

"That actually doesn't seem like a bad idea, Sasuke." Then his face fell back into a contemplative frown. "Except at the first sign of trouble, we pull out."

Itachi did NOT like what he was hearing in the slightest.

~o~

Her parents were still talking while she ended up making dinner on her own. The rice she made, she knew that her mother did it better, because she loved Kushina's cooking more than her own. She and Hinata would be the ones to make the gourmet for their friends and themselves on their get-togethers.

The fish was grilled with the vegetables, the noodles stir-fried, and the desserts would be done by the time they were all finished. She loved those tri-colored dumplings and the cakes. A terrible sweet tooth ran in her family. She felt her mouth water when she brought it all to the table, much to Kushina's delight that she'd done this all by herself. Naru could only blush when both her cheeks were pinched.

"Looks great," Minato told her with a kiss on the forehead. "You'll make a great wife someday."

Just how often would a father tell his daughter that? To tell her to find a man who saw her for who she was, not what he expected of her, and to not force her into anything? She wanted a man someday, even if there were GUYS who walked the line, but it would have to wait because of her future she had spent her life trying to build for herself. Times were so hard that not everyone could make a good living. It had been that way for their people since the dawn of time.

Towards the end of dinner, someone's mobile rang - and it was her own. It was none other than Kiba Inuzuka, whose family ran the local pet store and veterinarian's office connected. Kushina frowned; she hated when either of them received calls at the family table. "Naru," she said through her teeth, "aren't you a little old to do that at the dinner table?"

"Excuse me," was all she said, which was polite but still made her mother angry, and she stood and went out into the hallway in time for Kushina to jump up only to be restrained by her husband. "Kiba, you got me at the wrong time," she hissed into the bottom of the device. "I was at the dinner -"

 _"Oh, listening to Mom's rules still, are you?"_ the dog lover answered with a bark of laughter. _"No problem, but I just wanted to know if you were up for a night on the beach tomorrow night. No one is working over the weekend, so how hard should it be? It's not like Mama Dearest will refuse to let you go, huh?"_

Naru exhaled sharply as she heard her parents outside the hallway, still in the kitchen/dining room, over her. "Minato, you spoil her too much!"

Kiba heard that as well. _"Oops. Man, I have to say your mom is definitely worse than mine."_

"She's not so bad." However, she was inclined to half-agree.

 _"Well, do me a favor, Naru. If she says no, you're gonna sneak the hell out of that house and be with your friends. You're a grown-ass woman who has a job and can make her own decisions. Besides, how often do us young people get a new home with the kind of money we make nowadays?" He has a point. I might love what I do, but I still live with my parents, I don't have a boyfriend to live with...even though the majority of my friends are guys, and my first true friend is the oldest daughter of the prestigious Hyuuga who are in charge of the fishing industry._

Naru flinched when she heard her mother shout for her to come back in and finish her food. Clenching her jaw, she answered back as calmly as she could manage, then hissed into the phone, "I'll have to call you back."

Kushina's face was red as her hair, but she was still smiling sweetly and speaking as such when her daughter came back in, head high and impassive. "Was that one of your little friends, Naru?"

"Yeah, it was Kiba," the daughter answered, sliding back into her chair. Minato had slipped back into his, looking worriedly between his wife and daughter. "Just asking me if I was up for some fun with him and the others at the beach tomorrow night...if it's not a problem." She looked back and forth between both of them, anticipating a reaction. And as expected, Kushina exploded again.

"YOUR FATHER JUST RETURNED HOME, AND THIS IS WHAT WE HEAR FROM YOU?!" she screeched like a hawk in flight. "Naru Uzumaki, you have any idea what -"

"Kushina," Minato cut in gently, and that was enough to get her to calm down, but she was still steaming. "It's nothing. She's been working too hard, she deserves to be with her friends tomorrow night. And besides," he added with a light grin towards his daughter, "how would you feel about a daddy-daughter day tomorrow before then?"

Naru smiled, and then Kushina when she saw how reasonable and fair it was. See, family wasn't perfect, but it was worth it.

~o~

"Ugh, Captain, how many times do we need to catch all of this usual bullshit before we find something worth it?!" the silver-haired man complained behind the controls as the great net of fish was brought over the railing, dripping murderously and drenching his complaining fellows on deck as the next for profit came in. "Seriously, we are yet to find the one you said would be the snatch of this shitty century -!"

He slammed his fist on the wooden beam beneath the window. Currently, the two of them were in the booth, where the foul-mouthed man with the many chains and symbol of a backwater god of his native land was doing his job, and the captain himself - an intimidating man with a shock of red hair, many piercings in his nose and ears - ordered sternly, "Watch your mouth, Hidan. I did promise, yes, but did you believe it would ever transpire over night?"

He received a snort and turned back then and there to the controls. "Of course, sir," he said, faux politely, "but the guys are getting restless about this. Months and months of being out here, outrunning the damned _Yellow Flash_ and the authorities - and you know how close they get each day?" He turned and raised an eyebrow. The captain exhaled and turned to take his leave.

"I have said this ever since I hired you and the others down there: it does exist, and who said it would be easy?"

"Like my mother would ever tell me anything in life is easy!"

"Precisely," was all the pierced man said before opening the door and closing it behind him, going down the stairs to join the crew who were hauling yellowtail snappers towards the brig.

One of them, Deidara - a young fool with long blond hair in a ponytail - grunted when he swatted at one of the others who tried to tear the net he spent hours putting together himself. "Captain Pain," he called, "I was so hoping this would be the half-fish itself! It would have been our day, yeah!" _The day for me, notably, but I promised to give them all their portions for their rewards. What they would do after would be of no concern to me._

The captain, known to the rest of them as "Pain", gave every one of them a cold gaze. "Hold your tongues, the lot of you. We have done what we could all these months - years before I took a fraction of you under my wing - but it seems none of this is working. I am quite certain they are all still here but have been hiding well enough all these centuries."

Sasori snorted. He was one-legged, having lost his right leg in a boating accident as a younger child and had a wooden replacement he'd made himself. "We are all still not convinced there are actual 'mermaids' down these waters. They exist only in the _Nihon Shoki_ , and IF we do find one, then who is to say the meat they have will give us life everlasting?" he sneered, narrowing his eyes. Pain returned the gaze, his patience thread on the verge of snapping, but then the familiar gentle and restraining hand of Konan, his first mate, behind him kept him in place.

This world was filled with pain and suffering, which had always happened in his home, Ame, where it was severe civil war and cut off from the outside world. Today it still was. He'd escaped it as an orphan with the woman right beside him, because she found him when she had been trying to steal from the food stand to survive herself. He had rejected her at first, but it was them against the world. And it still was.

She was also the one who introduced him to the tale Sasori brought up. The key to everything, and how possible it was to search for the legendary _ningyo_. Hideous creatures they were, and how they brought bad luck to sailors who caught them. There was no telling what the consequences would be of taking one into town, if said town would be destroyed or if the life of the one who ensnared it would be punished. Since then, no one ever dared to hunt these waters for centuries.

In the beginning, he gathered these fishermen around him when this ship came to be his. Originally it was known as "Twilight", or _Nichibotsu_ , before the gloomy name did no justice for what he strived for. It had to be known as "dawn", or red dawn which was _akatsuki_ in tongue. It was his dream, because who else would do what he wanted to achieve? How many tried and failed? How many lived long enough and failed? How many sacrificed all they had for the dream of peace and rightful living?

"Hell," another spoke up, "if we meet one, it'd better be one of the rare beauties like the West! I heard they are lovelier than the heavens!" He chortled with laughter, making Pain glare at him until he quieted down. It did not surprise him that his fellow sailors would think like this, and for a moment, the glint passed over Deidara's eyes. However, Kakuzu, who was keen on the profits, snorted with disbelief.

"You said it yourself, blondie, IF we find any. It would even make a huge pile of money..." Konan, however, silenced him herself.

"No, Kakuzu, this serves a far better purpose than just money. It's even greater than that...the glory of living a long life." The green-eyed man sniffed at her but said nothing. Pain gestured for her to ignore him; the reason he had this man aboard his crew was for the reasons mentioned.

He gave every man around the dying catch still in the net another swaying glance, as he ordered the fish to be taken to process. He did not wish his deck to be smelling of saltwater and meat for the rest of the trip. They had done the usual methods of the marine industry, and none had succeeded thus far. Which left one option left he was certain would work, risky as it was. But it wasn't that he wasn't aware his former mentor and an old comrade - both of whom betrayed him - were on his tail. _Especially when one gave up on me many years ago. If they interfere, they will pay with their lives if need be._

"Where do we go now?" Konan asked him softly. He closed his eyes.

"Tomorrow when the sun falls, we send a boat to Konoha decks. There is one little worm we can use as bait to catch a mermaid..."

~o~

Kushina's temper never affected him before they met, or even when they did meet, when she'd been fisting away some thugs trying to come onto her. This was back in Tokyo when he had gotten away from this town for the time being, with Jiraiya-sensei, for his training. She had been born in a smaller town but moved here to try and make a better life, since her family all but scattered when a tsunami hit their village and couldn't rely on each other any longer.

The first time he saw that fierce redhead who let vicious punches, purple spots and bloody noses more than he could count, he thought to himself, _She can take care of herself_. This was when they were both teenagers barely entering the real world, and his parents had just been killed.

Next time, he did save her when she didn't stand a chance. The small stream in the forest filled with life was threatened with toxins which in turn would have affected all of them had it gotten to a major river into the city, and she thought she could "save us all" by doing this all on her own. She had murderous intent written all over her. This worried Minato Namikaze to no end. If she did this, she would be apprehended for damned sure.

He'd snuck up on her and got her away in time, but the men at work were still busy and would not dump the toxins into the water yet. He'd tipped it off to Jiraiya and the others, telling them that the guys they wanted - these ones which the red-haired woman was also after - were at the river in the forest. The force had also been keeping a watchful eye out on the wild female who lived out here but had the choice to come into their city. No one asked the question, but many wondered: _why does she live amongst animals instead of humans? Was she born there?_ They were questions Minato wanted to know himself, but the fire in her gaze made even the strongest man stay away from her if he wanted his balls intact.

But not today.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she'd hissed when she'd been unceremoniously pulled away from the scene, and he'd slapped a hand over her mouth to keep her quiet. The weapon which had been an old fashioned crossbow, filled with poisoned arrows - making him wonder where the hell she got the equipment - had fallen to their feet, the safety still in place.

She'd squirmed, trying to get away from him, but he firmly held her in place. Never mind how dangerous she was, he was not going to let her have her way. "You've had our attention for awhile now, and these guys have been our interest as well. It's very...interesting to find a young lady taking matters into her own hands when it doesn't solve everyone's problems. To charge in recklessly, admirably but recklessly - I never saw anyone like you."

Safe to say her eyes widened, and he knew he was blushing when he shouldn't have. He was never good with girls, or women now. But Jiraiya-sensei had his pointers, so where was he when you needed him?

He was here to keep the woman under his eye and wait out for his mentor and their unit. Just three more minutes...but it wasn't enough until they were caught, and gunfire was opened on them. On instinct, Kushina picked up her bow and arrow, getting behind him and firing back when Minato whipped out his caliber and returned the fire.

Right on time: Jiraiya and the rest showed up.

She was taken in then and there, answering every question they had as she was a vital witness and self-proclaimed vigilante protecting her "home". She'd spat at them that she could take care of herself just fine when Jiraiya offered her to come and live with him and Minato, the latter who turned tomato red when he could only guess how living with the "red hot habanero" would turn out. The first year was tough, yeah, because she started taking over the house just to show she wasn't dependent. She was so feisty he didn't know how to deal with her - but somehow he managed. And it didn't take him much longer to realize he was in love with her. It wasn't just because she made him burn, resisted and took care of herself. She was the first woman he took seriously, if his somewhat father constantly peeped in on women for his "research material". How funny and inappropriate was it that a great fighter like Jiraiya could have a perverted side to him? It was then that Kushina was the one to call him _Ero-Sennin_.

Something she passed down to their daughter who was born three years later. But before that was the great betrayal of the man he and Jiraiya trusted most, that nearly cost him his wife and their unborn child. It was guilt on every level. So he gave up being a member of the police force, and became a peaceful fisherman, but Kushina ever dedicated her life to protecting their home and environment.

That was why she had been in the way of the one who attacked her. What he was doing involved the sea which their existence depended on, which was slowly deteriorating in rate and their survival - but they were all strong and kept it intact. Sometimes Minato wondered what else was beneath those waters helping them, if any...

Kushina had been near the end of her pregnancy when she foolishly went after him, and for awhile, he and his wife had been estranged, even after their child was born. They named her Naru, short for the lead in Jiraiya-sensei's novel which inspired them if they were not real-life ninja. She was his reason to make up for nearly getting her and her mother killed.

Twenty years went by without major troubles, but Jiraiya and the force missed him though kept him on the tabs for Yahiko and his lover and accomplice, Konan. _That man...he was a friend and comrade, so much like me, and not...and he did this to us for himself._

The day spent: first of all, he took Naru down to Ichiraku's for her favorite ramen treat. After all those weeks away from her and Kushina, this was on him, and it was Jiraiya to thank for getting her into one of the simplest things in life. He was like Minato's father, so that would make him Naru's grandfather in a sense.

After they finished Ichiraku's and said goodbye to Teuchi and Ayame, his next plan was to take her up to the bait shop for perhaps a little fishing up the river, but not today since he just couldn't ruin her plans with her friends. He sighed sadly to himself; she grew up too fast, and she was still his baby girl...

"Oi, my two favorite people here in one of the most obvious of places!" Naru just about jumped out of her skin at the sound of that voice. Minato chuckled and shook his head when the old man with long white hair beamed from the counter with his equipment taken care of; Jiraiya apparently had plans to fish in the river as well. At the sight of the head of the police department, his daughter's eyes bulged, and she ran over to him like a little child again, which made her father melt inside.

"Pervy Sage, it's been a while! I've missed you!"

He groaned at both the smothering hug and at the use of the nickname that had all been Kushina's fault, because the shopkeeper chuckled and finished loading the fishing tools into the bag. "Kid, I really wish you'd not call me that in a place like this!" he replied, laughing and wrapping his arms back around her, then his eyes bulged wider. "Oh, man, you've gotten some curves on you!"

Minato now narrowed his eyes. A comment like that would have made him want to pommel the perp for making a move like that, but she was the one to step back, face ablaze. "Aw, don't give me that! I could give you Mom's famous punch for that!" She instead settled on giving him a slap on the shoulder and a one-armed hug to follow, and they both stumbled into each other, laughing it off.

"And that's why I am glad you are not like Kushina," Jiraiya said when he broke free from the horseplay - if it wasn't that harsh to break anything. Then his eyes widened. "Oh, that reminds me. I had just visited one of the cutest little shops before here, and I wanted to give it to you." He fished around in his jacket pocket and pulled out a carefully wrapped box and handed it to her. It looked like it estimated to be about eight inches high and five in width, which made Minato wonder how the man managed to keep it from falling out and being broken. He watched as Naru opened it by tearing the top off by luck, then pulled the cardboard lid out and found the contents. Her eyes bulged in surprise and excitement.

Jiraiya had gotten her a little _mermaid figurine_. And it looked so much like Naru! Minato was amazed. Long golden hair in waves like the water she was perched atop, and flanked by a goldfish and a little purple octopus. The locks covered her bared breasts, and her tail was turquoise as the waters and highlighted with a little orange. He winced at thinking of his daughter looking like THAT.

"I LOVE IT!" Naru squealed, throwing her arms around Jiraiya again, and he clumsily returned it, but looked over his shoulder to Minato again - this time grimly. The younger man knew what this was about, but now wasn't the time to discuss. When Naru went out with her friends tonight, he would invite the man over, and Kushina deserved to hear this.

~o~

 _Sakura and her mentor in healing have been to the surface...but why do I still have the feeling about this?_ Itachi could not shake it off no matter how hard he tried to. But it was Sasuke to not give a damn about the restrictions. He was tired of it all and wanted to have his big brother see what the outside was like, and his turn with him. _I was here on scarce times, but not for long. Only to see birds pass by..._

"Itachi, when are you going to stop protecting me?" the younger Uchiha demanded irritably as they swam through the darkness of the realm towards the surface with Shisui in tow. "I mean, you're the heir, but that does not mean I can't do things on my own, take care of everyone like you and Father! Just because -"

Itachi cut him off sternly. "Because, Sasuke, that's precisely why. You're the second son. Father sees you that way, and with our current positions, he'll continue to call you secondary until I take his place." _And when that day comes, I'll do everything in my power to make sure you are not held back._

Pitch black slowly became murky and light green, which were the colors of the depths at night. The sky had turned dark. The wind had been knocked out of his lungs. Half human, half fish, he could breathe fresh air as well as beneath water. Above them was a canvas of black, streaked with smoky gray and twinkling about with what looked like miniature jewels. "Hn, what did I tell you?" Sasuke stated, cocking his head to one side, turning to look at his brother.

Shisui whistled and shook his head, shaking out water droplets. "Well, isn't this the life? See, Itachi? No one is around for the time being. What did I tell you?" he asked cheerily.

Their good luck did not last long as they soon heard voices in the distance as well as the sound of small explosions.

"What in the name of the Kami above is this?" Sasuke hissed, ducking himself further into the water as the boat came closer. It was big, but too small to be a fisherman's craft. Inside looked to be about eight or nine people, and if he had to take a guess, they could be closer to Sasuke's age, since Itachi knew he was only slightly older than either of them, but not enough to be parental. He pushed his long hair over his shoulders as he continued to watch the scene. The humans looked like they were having a celebration. Small sparks of fire thrown in the air, some kind of drink passed around, and they were...covered. He'd never seen anything like _this_ before.

Shisui chuckled, keeping his voice down in case they were heard. "Guess these humans are here for the same thing we are: some fun and adventure."

Itachi, for all his sharp senses, found himself drowning out his cousin's words when one of the young humans was the first to catch his attention, moving away to sit on the edge of the boat. It was a female, like Sakura Haruno, his mother Mikoto, and the others of his kind. She had long fair hair, tied back behind her head, and straight strands over one shoulder. Her eye color was hard to tell in this lighting, but they twinkled in a way he'd never seen before.

Only one word could come to his mind, seemingly out of nowhere, and made him stir in a foreign manner: _exotic_.

 _ **Ritorupanku**_ **means "little punk" - with that said, it's from when Itachi was confronted by the three Uchiha from the police force about Shisui's death, and him being the suspect.**

 **The** _ **Nihon Shoki**_ **is said to be the old written source where the known myths of the** _ **ningyo**_ **reside.**

 **Shouldn't be hard to guess WHO Itachi sees for the first time and is drawn in immediately. ;)**


	3. Secrets of the Deep

Chapter Three

Secrets of the Deep

Hinata came that evening to pick her up from her house. The day with Dad had been great, and it meant ramen as well as Pervy Sage himself. She'd gotten that nickname from her mom who had started it all, because when her parents were younger, before she was born, Kushina moved in with him and Jiraiya who was also Minato's teacher. He was like family to all of them. Both her parents lost theirs a long time ago. But sometimes blood wasn't everything.

Life was so hard, yet for Naru, it never seemed to be that way. Things always seemed to look up to her family and her friends.

She switched out of her t-shirt and shorts from that day into a black bikini beneath a sheer orange caftan that dropped to her knees. When Hinata came for her, she was in a white lace one over a matching one-piece, and she kept her hair clipped upwards with not even a strand fallen. Sometimes she felt like she didn't match up to the timid Hyuuga beauty, but she'd gotten her appearance from her mother, and Kushina was "red hot" in every aspect, though that did scare a lot of the guys away from her - except Minato.

Hinata looked weary, yet she still came out here. "Hina-chan, did something happen at work again?" Naru asked as she slid into the front seat beside her. Kushina yelled at her to not be out too late, then wished her some fun sugary sweet, which she returned with a blush and a wave. Minato was right behind his wife and waved back, then called a greeting to Hinata.

On par, the sun was just setting. It was a pretty array of colors in pearly pink, orange sorbet, lavender, and light blue. The sun was her favorite shade of orange, which was just the right shade that red and yellow formed into one. She loved the colors of the rainbow. Hinata gave it a smile before it faded, and she answered her friend. "No, it wasn't too bad." When they were younger, she used to stutter because she was shy.

Naru was aware that not everyone could have the dream job they want, and sometimes it could turn out to not be what they expected. But Hinata to do what her family was doing with the industry where their existence depended?

Her father thought she was too soft in nature to be his heir to the family business. But she was a damned hard worker, so what gave him the right to belittle her and think to put Hanabi, her baby sister, above her for the position? Hadn't she'd been through enough when her mother died? Her cousin Neji used to compete with her when he ultimately learned that just because of their old family branch times, they could not be equals today. Plus, Neji was going to eventually be vice president one day and was working his way towards it. He might be a bastard sometimes, but Naru called him a friend of hers anyway.

In the circle she'd known all her life: herself, Hinata and Neji, as well as Shikamaru Nara who worked for her father on his ship, Choji Akimichi whose family owned the barbeque and bar place, as well as Tenten, Rock Lee, Kiba and his pride and joy Akamaru, and finally Shino Aburame whose family also was in charge of the environmental facilities, being one of Kushina's legal connections - but Shino's specialty out of everything was insects.

They were all like a family since they'd known each other all their lives, and if their summer jobs kept them from being together much of the time, as well as college and such, bonds were stronger than you thought.

The first time she met Hinata was when they first began preschool, when the Hyuuga was being bullied because of who her family was, but Naru saved her life. No one deserved that, and her mother had told her that you should always help someone in need no matter what limits were set. She got her fists to hand it to those boys.

If she'd been a boy, Hiashi Hyuuga would have had a firm say in who his daughter would be in a relationship with, but he didn't care who was her friend. He did like Naru, but because he was on civil terms with her father. She didn't like how he was so uptight and strict, but it was because he cared about keeping the town he loved stable with their food and the people who would give in return. But even a great family keeping everything in check could also fall on the worst of times. Which was why he was...uncertain about his kind-hearted eldest daughter taking his seat when he was finished. His youngest, Hanabi, had a steelier core that couldn't be crushed by competition and harsh decisions.

"Where's Neji?" she asked after a moment's pause, reaching to turn on the radio for some music. Hinata sadly looked to the road ahead as she took them both for the docks where Shikamaru's family boat was waiting for them all. That was a good enough answer without the need to be spoken: _he's working late, as ever. He's a workaholic who takes time off only when he feels like it._ "I swear he tries too hard, Hina-chan."

"Yeah," the dark-haired woman agreed, a light smile coming to one corner of her mouth. "I told him that, and he said that if 'Hiashi-oji,' I quote, 'sees me vital as I want him to, I have to keep going.'" She sighed. "He does try too hard...and in a way, it decreases my chance after all."

Naru was too pissed to say anything. She wanted so much to curse, but tonight wasn't about that. They had just arrived to where their friends were, just as the sky was turning dark blue, indigo and midnight with the end of the canvas lined with pale pink. The others were at the boat waiting for them. It was a small version of a yacht, with the name Nara lined at the bottom near the engine. "So, you ladies finally made it," Shikamaru noted dryly, smirking lazily as always. "It would have been a drag if we had to start without you. He took the box that Hinata had brought with her, and it was filled with the rice balls she'd made herself. Naru felt guilty about not having enough time to think of a recipe for herself to tag along, although whatever she'd made would have been what was already prepped. And not only that, Choji catered the barbeque already aboard. She could smell it, and it made her mouth water.

 _It's a good thing we had only leftovers, and I didn't eat too much._

"Shino, Kiba and Choij are already on board," Tenten said as she came up to embrace them both tenderly, before turning to join herself - and then a buzz of green smothered both her and Hinata out of nowhere. _Damn it, Lee!_

"My youthful girl friends! Are you ready to experience a night of energy on the sea?!"

"Lee, don't raise your voice in our ears!" Naru laughed, patting him on the back, and he let them both go, blushing ear to ear, then whooped and turned to run up the wooden bridge, which left her, Hinata and Shikamaru last to follow. He shouted at the driver at the wheel - who wore a hat to cover the back of his head entirely and kept his back to them all - to get them out of here so they could have their long-deserved fun. _Dad must have worked him too hard, but it's not like there's ever anything exciting to happen every day, right?_ Naru had been on the ship two or three times with her father, to see what it was like, and one of the things she hated personally was the stench of processing the catch below. Whale guts were worse, but Minato strictly kept whaling off of his deck. Kushina would have had his head if he was among those endangering a vital marine life-form.

She loved to have the view of the sea in the back, so that was where she sat, and Hinata a couple feet from her. The small fireplace in the middle of the deck was lit up, filled with fire-proof minerals to save up on wood and resources. As a start, small firecrackers were thrown into the air, not being enough to attract attention from any predators, like sharks, beneath the water, or any fishermen who might be in the distance...like the _Red Dawn._ Her parents warned her to watch out whenever she and her friends would come out here at night, and so far she hadn't had such trouble. She was beginning to think that she and the others were just lucky.

How she jinxed that and didn't realize it.

Kiba did the honors of retrieving the sake from downstairs, with Akamaru tailing behind him, and both howling with celebration as it reached the skies. "How about this, huh?" he shouted as if he were the wild man himself, plopping down besides Shikamaru who rolled his eyes. "To an awesome summer ahead of us all - except to being at work on certain days," he said glumly, giving the whole tray for the host himself to take and pass around, the small cups already filled. Shikamaru snorted and agreed with that, then passed it onward to Tenten, then Choji who eagerly was excited for a good drink with the food that would come soon, but this called for a simple toast first. Shino was next, but hardly anyone saw the bottom half of his face, and his eyes were always covered with those shades. Lee gulped his down immediately without wanting to wait any longer, which earned shakes of the head even though everyone was smiling. Hinata finished off by taking hers and setting the tray on the floor at her feet, leaving Naru herself for last.

Suddenly, a cold chill ran up her spine as she had a feeling that they were being watched...

She whipped around, looking at the pitch black sea, glinting faintly with silver streaks from the quarter moon above, but she didn't see anything. _Maybe it's just my imagination._

The splashing of water in the distance made her decide it was only some fish playing around, or perhaps a dolphin. With that, she put her sake cup to her lips and swallowed the pear-flavored fluid in a gulp like the others, and her stomach growled when she realized she was hungry like the rest of them - especially Choji who announced he would head downstairs to help with bringing the cuisines up.

~o~

"Jiraiya!" She jumped up from the table when he walked back in with the man in question. "I was beginning to wonder if someone was going to shoot you down one of these days," Kushina told him, but with no menace. She was joking, in a morbid sense, but Jiraiya took it well. He laughed and took her hand into his, placing a gentle kiss on the back.

"Maybe someday it'll happen, Kushina, but not if I have anything to say about it." He winked at her, bringing forth the famous blush that blended with her hair.

Minato was about to close the door when he spotted a familiar silver-haired man coming up the stairs. "Oh, Kakashi," he said, surprised to find him at this unexpected time. "Come on in." He turned to call back to his wife and former superior. "Looks like we have a full house tonight - except one."

"Really, where is Naru?" Kakashi asked as he joined him and the other two at the table, when Kushina brought the tea set over from the stove.

"Out with her friends," Kushina answered, giving him his, then her husband and Jiraiya's, saving herself for last and sitting down. "Does this mean we have long-awaited adult time?" Her eyes shone mischievously, making all the men snicker. _If only it was completely that way,_ Minato thought sadly when he focused his attention on Jiraiya who cleared his throat.

"I wish it was something like that, but it's...complicated. I think you all got an idea why I'm here. The _Red Dawn_ crew has been silent lately, but I've got a hunch that can't be contained any longer."

Kakashi sighed. "Yes, we've gotten the latest without trouble from them. I have a bad feeling about this; it's not like them to hide away at an odd time, but then again, nothing with them is ever set in stone," he stated, putting his teacup on the table surface. "Last time we saw them, they opened fire on us when we tried to follow them and alerted the authorities, and we nearly ran into a reef and burst the engine." Despite the _Yellow Flash_ being the best in the nation, the _Red Dawn_ could outrun the fastest. It would take someone with military skill and connection to have a ship with that kind of technology. Nobody even knew WHAT these guys had, which made catching and keeping in touch all the more scary.

But to hell if Minato was afraid of these bastards.

Kushina looked between Kakashi and Jiraiya, narrowing her eyes. "Jiraiya, what are you thinking?"

He shook his head. "This isn't enough without further proof, but if I had to take a guess, there's a rumor going around that the leader of these guys might be a certain someone we know all too well..." He trailed off then and there, gazing at them all somberly. "And without further delay, I'm sending my best out tomorrow morning and will go myself. It could be him who is leading them, but as I said, it's unclear."

Minato looked down at the table, unable to make eye contact with his own wife. _Yahiko..._ "Oh, it's him, huh?!" Kushina seethed, eyes squeezed tight now. "Is that who you think it is? Then I hope to God that it is!" She furiously slammed her palm flat on the table, rattling the dishware.

"Like I said, it's a hunch," Jiraiya said grimly, face contorting.

"But our hunches are always right," Kakashi added. "In that case, then they'll be done for if they come near us again..." He raised an eyebrow on that side of his face. "...but how do you plan to get that close to them?"

Since Minato knew his mentor well enough, he had to swallow his fear of the result. Kushina saw it, too, and she was going to use every ounce of fight she had and demand that he not only bring himself back alive, but to also stop those villains on their beloved seas.

In the doorway, Kurama the fox appeared and whimpered before growling once at the news he heard.

~o~

The sight they saw had startled all three of them, and they ducked quickly beneath the water just as the last human figure rose from the opposite end of the boat just as all the others collapsed, but they didn't seem to be dead. If they all were, then why was this one going right for the female at the foot...and it was none other than the lovely human who sparked his attention for some reason.

 _What is with this...strange feeling? A sea creature like myself, interested in a human? I shouldn't be. If she saw me, she would be fearful._ But the human and her friends didn't appear to be the enemy, except you could never be certain. This was the kind of thing Fugaku would frown upon immensely. It wouldn't be worth ten lashes for believing such nonsense.

"I think that one who sparked your _interest,_ Itachi," Shisui drawled lightly, making him scowl, "is needed somehow. Except I wish I knew what it was."

Sasuke moved from behind them to be a foot away from his brother and cousin to have a closer look. "If I'm right, he put something in that drink to spike them out. Because why would they all be dead, including that girl, if she's so important?" he pointed out snidely. _Brother, you're right. And what can we do about it?_

Movement to the corner of his eye caught his attention now. Another boat was coming. "Damn it," he hissed to both of them, "we have more company."

The three of them were beneath the waters in time for the other craft to come beside the one where the lone human with long blond hair now revealed, carrying the unconscious girl in his arms, was walking over the fallen bodies of her friends and was joining the other, which Itachi had to guess was filled with the type of humans that his kind were victims of. Something inside him swelled with the urge to protect that female, if it risked his life in the process.

 _I'm being foolish for thinking like this. I don't even know her, yet I want to help her. I'm going against everything I have been taught for the first time in my life._ "Shisui, Sasuke," he said, "we stay here."

"WHAT?!" the both of them exclaimed, bubbles bursting from their slackened jaws.

" _Nii-san,_ are you suicidal?" Sasuke demanded furiously. "You realize what could happen to you and this gets back to Father?!"

Itachi glared at his younger sibling who dared to remind him of the consequences. The humans may have advanced weaponry, but they did not know that the merfolk were still as strong compared to them in more ways than one. "I don't know why I should do this, but perhaps I can try and understand the humans for sure. And what would happen to that girl if we did nothing?" he said coolly.

Sasuke was not convinced this was a good idea, but Shisui had to agree. "Yeah, you're right...except I won't be responsible if your tail gets caught in the net over this, and someone would have to go back and explain this to Fugaku and face the lash."

~o~

What the hell happened? They were all having fun, but then it was all becoming light and a blur, and it had only been a cup or two that they had. They weren't even THAT drunk...

 _Unless someone..._

Her eyes flashed open. Damn it, that was it: someone had spiked the sake. Someone did it when no one was looking. Kiba wouldn't do anything like that - so, maybe it was someone on the boat they didn't know about. Naru groaned as her head throbbed with all of this hard and fast thinking. And it attracted unwanted attention as well as snarky voices: "Well, the little fox awakens."

She hissed and sat up, her back and neck sore from laying on hard wood. She was on another boat, figured. Which meant she had been kidnapped definitely. Mom, Dad, Kakashi and Pervy Sage always said to not panic if you were in a hostage situation. One of them could have been mentioned, but what did it matter? Here she was now surrounded by all these men who looked at her in a way that would have made Kushina pummel them all in a single heartbeat. "Who the hell are you guys, and what do you want with me?"

"Aw, you wake up surrounded by us hunks and that is the first thing you ask," one of them mocked. He had silvery white hair and magenta eyes, with many chains and an odd religious icon around his neck, and he leaned over her, which made her snap in body and sanity. Her knees both came up - they were tied together by wire cable - and struck him hard in the jaw, sending him backwards. That gave her only a small amount of pleasure, but it wasn't to last long since all these others were still around her.

The man she struck earned bouts of laughter from those around her. But he was livid. "Bitch - you little harpy - you're gonna pay with your little ass for that!" he growled, but he was stopped, by a guy with red hair and a wooden leg.

"Hidan, back down. Captain said to not lay a hand on her."

The guy named Hidan literally spat at him as well as with words. "Screw that, Sasori. She needs to learn who is in charge and where her place is now -" He was cut off with a sharp _thwack_ to the back of his head. He yelped and doubled over. The one who did the hit had odd green eyes and stitches about his face, giving him the look of some kind of zombie that made Naru tear her eyes away and look about to see where she was. She was on a ship, kind of like the one her father commanded...and then her heart went cold.

 _Oh, dear gods, no..._

She was on the _Red Dawn._ There was no question about it. These men had beef with her father and Jiraiya, and the law. And here she was. _They need me for leverage, what else would it be? That must be why their captain doesn't want me harmed in any way - but what if I don't live to tell the tale?_

Oh, why would she have to die like this, at her young age when she still wanted to do so much more...?

"Leave her alone, men."

The voice who spoke stood when the men parted way, and the sight of him made her eyes bulge. She quickly calmed herself outwardly. His hair was vivid, but compared to her mother's, it was like a pumpkin. His nose and his ears had painful-looking rod piercings with faint hints of dried blood around the bases. What did he do, jam them in without anesthetic? She cringed at the image produced.

This man had to be the captain mentioned. He stood over her without even a blink. Now she looked and made eye contact, and her own widened at the violet shade with multiple rings. _What...the hell...?_ "Naru Uzumaki...it's a wonder why you don't go by your father's name," he spoke, low and baritone as if he didn't belong in the world. Like he was high and mighty.

"How do you know me and my family?" she snapped, as she was taken underneath each arm and hauled to her feet. Here she was, hog-tied and surrounded by men like a clichéd damsel in distress. A faint smile made its way on his face.

"I knew your father a long time ago - and a certain Jiraiya, if you know him," he replied, and her brain clicked yet again. He didn't speak much, but it wasn't hard to put two and two together.

 _This is the man Dad, Jiraiya and Kakashi talked about...he's Yahiko._ "That's right," Naru said, throwing her hair over her shoulder since it was coming undone. "Your name is -" His hand held up before her. He knew she was going to say his name in front of his entire crew, which meant he must not want them to know his true identity. So he was going by an alias.

He lowered his palm back to his side and took another step forward, gazing down at her over his pierced nose. "That name you will say has no meaning, and here I am known as Pain...and I will someday be god of these seas."

Naru jerked backwards, but restrained in place. _He - WHAT? Who and what the hell does he think he is?!_ "God of the sea? There's only one, and who are you to make claim on this?" she demanded. "And are you insane to capture me like this? What did you do to my friends?"

"Relax." A woman, very lovely and with piercings as well, strangely blue-haired, came to be beside "Pain". "We have done no harm to them. They are exactly as we left them. But I regret to say that it will be difficult for your whereabouts to be traced back to us," she said softly, honey-gold eyes showing cool sincerity. Her worst fears were confirmed.

"You're the only worm we came to catch. When that is done, I'll be untouchable."

"And answer me then, damn it!" She cried out when her hair was yanked, by one of the guys holding her, with long blond hair in a ponytail.

"Listen, foxy, he would make it faster if you'd keep quiet, un."

Pain cleared his throat at the blond, who straightened himself up. The murder was clear in his violet eyes. "As I was saying," he stated, "Naru, you will not be alive to tell anyone of this. I will not trust you with the entirety of the details for reasons of my own, but I may ask: you recall the legends of the deep...primarily the _ningyo?_ "

 _The mermaid of our culture...oh, you have GOT to be kidding._ "What of it?" Naru asked, dumbfounded. "It's a stupid myth of these oceans. You think you're going to find any out here?" She narrowed her eyes, the question escaping through her eyes, as if their souls connected so he knew what she was thinking: _you think that by eating their flesh, you gain eternal life. What are you going to do with all those years, you bastard?_

"I intend to finish what I spent a lifetime fighting for, that no one else has been able to achieve. Your family simply got in the way...but now you are going to prove more useful than they ever did."

Naru growled. He hurt her mother - while SHE was still in Kushina's womb - and he betrayed her father, godfather and everyone else, for _what_?! Whatever it was, it sounded like he didn't want to reveal it to his crew watching and listening, either. He kept everything to the minimum, promising them that they would have a portion of their catch in reward? Oh, if that stupid story _was_ true, then he didn't care who he was using in order to get what he wanted for his crazy goal. And she'd gotten entangled in this. _Dad gave up everything to protect me and Mom, and our town. Jiraiya spent every day he had left trying to find this traitor. Now I'm going to die for this. I'm being used as bait to catch a mermaid..._

There were no words to describe how much she hated this man so much.

"Now," Pain said loudly, "lower a boat and take her down with you."

 _Well, there goes my life._ She was unceremoniously turned and led forward to the boat waiting. She was roughly handled, but all she could think about were her parents, Hinata and the others, Jiraiya, Kakashi, and poor Kurama...

 **So, yeah, the sake aboard Shikamaru's family boat was spiked. The Akatsuki (** _ **Red Dawn**_ **in here now) kept tabs on her from afar and waited until tonight to get her, and away from watchful eyes on dry land. Deidara was the one to act as the driver and then retrieve Naru when everyone was knocked out by the spiked drink. Just in case someone couldn't figure it out, not to insult anyone's intelligence.**


	4. Rescue at Sea

**Here comes the point when "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" inspired me - especially the mermaid sequence. :)**

 **I also saw no reviews. :( Please give them?**

Chapter Four

Rescue at Sea

They followed the small boat with the girl, and it led them right to a great _fishing ship_ , which was like the ones they saw each time in open water. _I need to listen if I am to understand their schemes this time._ He managed to climb up the ladder on the side right after she was dragged up. Some short time had passed, but with the merpeople, it was meaningless and only had to do with the sun hitting your face before vanishing to signal rest.

He could read the text on the end, translating to mean _red dawn_. He wondered what gave the humans that idea...

"Itachi, get back here!" Sasuke hissed from beneath. "That's NOT a good idea!" He was silenced by Shisui who grinned and ducked him back beneath the water, his hand on the head, and waved Itachi luck. The long-haired Uchiha could only nod once and then continue, his muscles bearing with the strain of holding onto ropes and wooden planks as he ascended upwards to listen to what the humans were saying.

He managed to poke his head up through one of the holes in the metal railings. These minerals sometimes fell to the bottoms of the ocean by careless human hands. He saw the bare-legged female tied up now and surrounded by the rugged-looking men. There was another, with fiery hair, strange eyes, and metal pieces in his nose and ears. Itachi never saw a human look like that before.

"...you know me and my family?" the girl seethed, and that was the first time he heard her voice. How to describe it...it was like a warm breeze before turning into a sharp iciness of fury.

"I knew your father a long time ago," the pierced human stated, "and a certain Jiraiya, if you know him."

"That's right. Your name is -"

It seemed this man didn't want her to say his name for some reason, but he did allow the fact to slip that he was called "Pain" by his crew only. _Befitting. His flesh has been pierced by his own hands, wasn't it?_ He listened on as the exchange detailed a traitorous act by this man against the young woman's family; ultimately, Itachi decided this fiend was no friend. Even more when he proclaimed himself "god of these seas". What gave a human the right to such a decree? He heard the girl, whose name he learned was _Naru_ , shout such, and even demanded to know if her friends were hurt by them. A woman with hair the color of the sea at twilight and with similar face rods assured her they were alive and well...but no one would come and find her.

It did not take Itachi long to hear what he'd died to hear - and it made his blood chill. "Naru, you will not be alive to tell anyone of this. I will not trust you with the entirety of the details for reasons of my own, but I may ask: you recall the legends of the deep...primarily the _ningyo_?" _She's live bait to catch one of us._

"You think you're going to find any out here?" Naru demanded.

Pain was unfazed. "I intend to finish what I spent a lifetime fighting for that no one else has been able to achieve. Your family simply got in the way...but now you are going to prove more useful than they ever did," he said simply. He then barked orders to his men to take her to the boat.

Itachi needed to tell his brother and cousin - and get off before he was spotted. Immediately, he let go of the ladder and flipped his body backwards, falling and splashing into the water where Shisui and Sasuke waited for him, demanding to know what he heard.

Above, he heard the shout to shine the lights on the water, to see what had caused the splash beneath. Quickly, the trio moved deeper into the spot they were in to avoid any nets. Itachi repeated everything he heard, word for word. Both Shisui and Sasuke impassively glared.

"Then you both stay here while I go grab reinforcements," Shisui declared before diving beneath the waters and making way for the nearest underwater cove where their "help" lived. Itachi prayed they would get here in time; otherwise, he had to save that girl himself somehow.

"I still don't like this, _aniki_ ," Sasuke muttered, shaking his head as they both looked up at the shadow of the smaller boat rowing out into deeper waters, and the brothers began to tail after it. Bright light was shining through, a guarantee to attract more attention than just the two of them.

It wasn't long before Itachi smiled lightly at the sound and presence of more of his fellows coming to aid.

~o~

She had been gagged because she talked too much - _how hilarious_ , she thought sarcastically as she was unceremoniously hauled into the boat, after being on the shoulder of the green-eyed zombie she heard was called Kakuzu, and it was Hidan who enjoyed covering her "pretty little mouth up" himself. "Just what you get for kicking me in that spot, bitch," he said snidely. He really had a mouth worse than Kiba when he swore.

"Ready to see some mermaids, huh?" He really continued to taunt her, and even had the nerve to keep her close to his body just to make her spite him! Naru gritted her teeth beneath the gag over her mouth. "They'll be upon us within the hour, so you mark my words, foxy."

"Un, that is MY nickname for her!" the man with the blond hair, Deidara, snapped. He was ignored, but Naru couldn't help but notice that he was maybe the youngest of the group, around her age. The redhead named Sasori was close enough, but maybe older than him? A part of her wondered what happened to his leg...

 _Within the hour...that means I may have a little more time, if Hinata and the rest wake up and think something happened to me. They all know I would never do this to them. Maybe they'll find a clue or something..._ But she knew better than to get her hopes too high for that.

These men were kept in the dark on their captain's plans, but all he'd told them was that if they caught a _ningyo,_ long-lasting life would be granted from the one they caught, just by tasting a part of their flesh, or more. But that also came with a great price best avoided. If these idiots knew that, then that made them bigger in the word. "I heard that a kiss from a mermaid can protect a sailor from drowning," one of them said, a guy with an oddly swirling orange mask and spiky dark hair, and he appeared to be the dumbest of the lot.

"Tobi, don't be a fool!" Kakuzu spat disgustedly. "Mermaids are both male or female, and it's accurate with our culture as it is with the West and the Mediterranean. However, unlike those sorts who are lovelier than the heavens we see each day, or even the dreams we have, these are depicted as monstrous - with claws of hawk's talons, the faces of an ape, and a body that is the nightmare of our fantasies. Their shapes and sizes can be that of a tiny child or even the biggest seal of the Atlantic."

Hidan sniggered. "But I heard that there are the lovely ones like the Americans and Spanish love to talk about!" he chortled, ignoring Kakuzu's death glare, as well as the others', and Naru flinched at his foul breath on her face. She turned it in the other direction.

"Those beauties are few and far between, idiot. They appeared out in the middle of the sea, from our end to the beginning of the Americans' region. The ones we seek are more beast than exquisite."

Naru chose to speak even though her words were muffled, and it earned snickers again. "What? I can't hear you, darling," Hidan mocked putting his hand to his ear, which made Deidara scoff.

"You should take that gag off so we hear her."

"What? She would just shoot her mouth off again," the white-haired man stated, then resigned when Kakuzu threatened with throwing him off the boat, and he apparently would, too. Sighing in exasperation, he took the binding off from Naru's mouth. "Well, hurry up, pretty. Before we toss you in with the fishes."

She gave him a crooked smile and repeated her words. "If the merfolk are real, then you boys ought to know the risk of catching one, if you believe the stories..." Now that earned widened eyes from every one of them, but Kakuzu was unconvinced.

"Oh, you refer to the terrible curse placed on us all if Captain Pain keeps it aboard the ship: the ship taken down in a 'natural' storm, or maybe a town wiped out by the sea itself."

"Then you all should have common sense that they are best left be, if you value your lives," Naru pointed out sweetly. _Got you all!_ "You want to go down with your ship, or you want all humanity wiped out by your _greed?_ " That earned the gag back over her mouth.

 _So much for getting through to them._

"Oi, look!" Tobi cried pointing out of the blue. All heads turned in his direction to a part of the lit water, coming from the tower of the _Red Dawn_. "Tobi saw something swim! A gold-green!"

Deidara threw his ponytail over one shoulder and snorted. "'Gold-green', you idiot? You're just seeing things! I don't see anything," he said with a laugh. But the masked man wasn't convinced.

"No, Tobi saw something there!"

"Shut up, will you both?" Sasori snapped. "I saw it, too!"

It was then that Naru found herself looking around with them...and she saw _it,_ too. That flash of gold-green...but then something like _red and silver_. She blinked. Was she imagining these things? Mermaids were supposed to be only in the stories, so what was...?

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Hidan hooted, standing up and then picking her up, holding her like a bride. She tried to squirm out of his arms, but he was too strong for her. She hated how she couldn't get out of this. She hated being one of those girls in the stories and movies. She wished she was like her mother right now - or they would kill her and use her as dead bait which could be the same for the fish creatures below. _If Tobi says he saw something, then it_ does _mean..._

But then Kakuzu stopped him. "Hold it, Hidan," he said. "Do we really need the girl after all?" He was looking past them all in the other end of the boat...and all eyes gasped in shock at the _thing_ which leaned over the edge, peering at them with beady black eyes reflecting off the light from overhead. The skin was light, gray-green, and the face resembling something like a monkey, with long stringy black hair, and along the arms were scales of gold that could be mistaken to be real coins.

Hidan's jaw dropped, and as if his body were moving without his knowledge, he slowly set down Naru who lowered her face to the wooden floor with relief - for now. But a few seconds later, she raised her gaze to look at the creature which showed up from the waters. A being thought to exist only in the legend.

A real _ningyo_ gazed back at all of them.

A light voice, like a flute, filled the air, and squeaking a bit. _"On'nanoko..._ " She blinked. It was talking about... _her. It's asking about me - the girl._ The simple statement which sounded like a question at the same time made the wicked men around her blink in surprise and bewilderment.

"Wh-what? What about her, un?" Deidara asked. "What's the fox to you?" She loathed how he talked about her like an animal in captivity, and she was not like Kurama whom she rescued! Though her furry friend did try to fight back, only to have human aid. Somehow she felt she was in his situation - but a creature of fantasy was right before her eyes. Unless she was thinking too high when she wasn't supposed to.

It was then and there that they assumed she was wanted for the one right in front of them. They thought the creature wanted her for itself, and her heart stopped in its tracks. It burst when she was picked up again...and she didn't have time to scream when she found herself submersed in ice-cold waters, with that thing which caught sight of her, but it didn't come to her rescue.

Naru's lungs were constricting as she held her breath. There was no mistaking it now: she was going to die here.

She could see underwater as she did the best she could to wriggle like a fish, on her side and then paddle somewhat like a dog to navigate to the surface. Suddenly, she was jerked back into place, behind, making her realize that a hook had been attached to her wrist bonds, so she was definitely a worm on the metal for the fish.

She had only a moment of fresh air before she ducked again beneath the surface. Damn it, she could swim, but not tied! She noticed so many movements around her, many forms, and they were all green-gold, telling her more of these things were coming, but they went for the surface and avoided her altogether. It seemed they didn't care about her.

A flash of red and silver - that same odd rainbow she'd seen, and it didn't belong to the other mermaids, or mermen, around her - came before her eyes, and that was when she saw it as soon as her head was over the surface only for another brief second.

A _mermaid tail._ It was black glimmering with silver fins and some flecks of red. She blinked in shock, distracted and then underneath, but she had enough time to see the chaos happening over the surface. The _Red Dawn_ guys were being struck down by _ningyo_ who hissed furiously at the intruders bothering their territory...and the fishermen also came armed and dangerous. They pulled out GUNS. Naru shrieked and choked on water behind her gag. They would end up shooting _her_ in the process!

Just her luck, her gag came undone by invisible force. She gasped for precious air now. "STOP SHOOTING, YOU BASTARDS!" she screamed out, struggling to get out of the wire and off the hook, but she was still trapped and caught in the middle of man versus fish. Shots filled the air, and a couple men fell into the water only to disappear and not come back up.

The engine of the boat was then started, and she was jerked backwards again in the direction of the ship...but then she felt the rope detach so she was free. She would have rejoiced if she didn't remember she was still hog-tied.

Pain wasn't joking when he said she wouldn't live to tell of any of this. No one came to her when they were all yelling for their lives and pushing each other off the ladder, others trying to, to reach the deck, but there was also a net being lowered down. Her body was becoming too tired to move, and her lungs were getting tighter and tighter...

...but then a voice bubbled in her ears when she found herself sinking down into the depths of the sea, to her watery grave. Hands latched onto her and pulled her close to a seemingly strong body, but that was the last thing she remembered before she was swallowed by water and darkness.

~o~

The other merfolk who weren't like his clan and the others - they left well enough alone, but in desperate times, Shisui the negotiator could convince them to help in a heartbeat...especially when it involved their territory in trouble. And in a sense it was, right above this part of the sea, because now was a mad dash.

"Have fun getting the girl away, Itachi!" his cousin told him just as he showed up, and Itachi saw that he couldn't waste any time. Naru had been thrown in, a hook attached to the bonds behind her back, so she was left out like a worm for a fish in the stream, or like the baits in the boxes for the poor yellow-tailed snappers. She sputtered and coughed, trying to stay over the water. Around her, the men in the boats were thrown into the water by a merman or mermaid who leaped from the depths and dragged them down to the surface, or they were fought back by loud weapons the humans drew and fired. It seemed they were used in a manner like long-range bows and arrows.

"STOP SHOOTING, YOU BASTARDS!" she howled after them.

Sasuke was making quite the spectacle of himself when he boldly and brashly assisted, throwing out his powerful tail and striking a man in the face - this one had a peculiar mask over his face and squealed high-pitched, flailing off the boat. His brother was having too much fun with this, so Itachi had to swim over and pull Sasuke to the side, the younger striking off his touch and hissed through his teeth.

"Sasuke, as much a right you have to protect our realm, you are not to become a monster and ruthlessly slaughter him. Is that clear?" _He's one of the enemy, but taking a life..._

Sasuke snorted. "You're too soft and compassionate for your own good, _nii-san_ ," he sneered. "He's an enemy -" His eye twitched past his shoulder at the sound of a thunderous roar, which Itachi heard himself. "Oh, and you had better get to your little human." The boat with the three remaining men had started, was sputtering at the back. Beyond was a great net being lowered into the water, the hint crystal clear that there was more than enough of their people around to become ensnared...but on second thought, one of them, not counting himself, his brother and his cousin, could go up and do just what they were feared for in the stories told amongst the humans. _Precisely why they are here, are they not?_

It was a good thing that the merfolk had abnormal strength when it came to breaking ropes and bonds, but against much solid objects like metal and wood, it was another story. Itachi made it over to Naru in time, but he could see she wasn't going to last another moment in the water. If he didn't get her away from here, she would die. Her eyes were closing, and her movements were weakening.

He saw that, at some point, the rope had detached due to frequent tugs of force in the hysteria, so she was free but was sinking now. She didn't seem to be aware of his presence as he swam beneath her and took her into his arms.

Shisui was roaring at everyone to retreat now that the enemy was getting away. He was half-inclined to join them, but first...

"Hold on, Naru," he breathed to the girl as he padded away through the water towards the direction he knew led to the nearest beach he could find. He wasn't sure if anyone would be able to find her, but it was better than nothing. And it was even better than being spotted by anymore humans.

~o~

Minato was worried beyond his limits. He had always worried this would happen, and Kushina was doing no better. Hinata and the group had been drugged unknowingly, but no one was to blame for being so careless. When they came to, Naru was gone.

"Who could have taken her?" Hinata asked softly, her eyes wide like a doe's as she sat with him and Kushina. Her friends were all speaking to the authorities and then getting their blood samples to be taken, even though there was a high chance of zero drug rape on these young adults. Minato's instincts told him it was the case...but his daughter...

Shikamaru Nara approached him and his weeping wife in his arms. He bowed his head in guilt. "You blame me, Minato-san."

He shook his head. "No one is, Shikamaru. You could have gone out after her yourselves, but with no direction on the waters and no idea where she was taken, it would have wasted all our time." He gave a light smile when he looked past the young man and in the direction of Jiraiya who was giving out the orders to never stop searching until they found Naru Uzumaki. He decided then and there to leave Kushina's side, ignoring her protests, and stood before Jiraiya.

"I am going with you to help find her," he declared, earning utter shocked gasps, but his former superior was far from thrilled.

"Minato, as much as I want to let you, you're not an official member of our team anymore -"

"No," he cut in firmly, locking eyes. "I may not be, but that is my daughter, and I have not lost my touch at all. And besides...it could be someone who has beef with us, right?" He had a gut idea if it was the _Red Dawn,_ then he demanded more answers instead of just standing and speculating, or even waiting to hear from others. If they found Naru, maybe she could help them.

 _And that is a big_ if. _Naru, please be safe._ His sleeve was sharply tugged, and he was forced around to see Kushina glaring daggers at him. "Minato, you'd better bring our baby back, because if you don't, then I won't forgive you!" she threatened, pulling him down for a harsh peck on the mouth. He tried to return it for reassurance, but she let him go and pushed him backwards that he nearly shoved Jiraiya off his balance as well. This earned laughter from the officers around them, even Naru's friends, before the atmosphere reverted back and everyone was rushing to their vehicles to head out to the docks and alert the lifeguards.

~o~

Itachi stayed near the location where he'd left the girl, with the chance being fifty-fifty of her staying on the shore for a long time or waking to go off on her own. He didn't even know if she was familiar with where he left her. _Why do I care so much about her well-being?_ His kind was helpful and benevolent by nature, but Fugaku Uchiha was the strictest to ever lay the law and keep contacts with humans limited at all costs.

The hours of the night progressed into the first rays of dawn hitting the waters and the land.

Itachi had been sitting on a rock, gazing upon the shore where the girl lay. He could never look at anything other than her, but occasionally he looked behind him and on either side to see if any other humans or boats were coming. But much of it was all on her. Her long hair and soft skin blended well with the sand she lay upon. She had two legs, nicely shaped, and somehow those interested him since he had a tail and fins. He wouldn't walk on land the way he was now. The Kami made her people and his, kept them separate and perfectly balanced.

 _Now that I think about this, it's irritating. I wish the laws didn't exist. Maybe Sasuke and Shisui were right after all; there's definitely more beyond the walls, and I have seen it. Our people aren't completely the same with morale, so it's likely the humans are the same. This girl...I want to know more about her._

"Naru," he breathed, her name like a mantra on his lips and his senses. His tail fin twitched as his spine rippled with the strange sensation as he continued to look upon the... _beautiful_ creature who had at some point rolled onto her side, moaning in her unconscious state. Either she was that tired, or she was fast asleep. At least she was still alive.

Shisui and Sasuke must have gone back to the palace, and the other merpeople went back to their grounds. Guilt gnawed at him as he should have been there to see if they suffered any losses. He was going to one day be head of it all, so why did he do a selfish thing in putting a human life over that of his people? It was nothing he had ever done before...he always put others before his own...

But he didn't think about himself. He thought about HER.

Before Itachi knew it, he was sliding down the rock and into the water, gliding over to the shore until he was in shallow waters, and he was close enough to slide his body across solid ground, coming to lay beside Naru who still hadn't opened her eyes. She was breathing steadily. The sunlight peeked through the clouds and lit up her hair. Now it glinted with the beams. His breath caught in his throat. He found himself bringing a hand up to push back a few locks of hair that fell before her nose, and in doing so, he felt how _soft_ her skin was. His nerves thrummed with this feeling, and his veins began to pump towards his heart which began to pick up its tempo - _is this feeling what Mother described...?_

The word was love, and he wasn't sure he wanted to think about it right now...but as he tried to slow this thundering organ of his, he failed.

His eyes traveled downward, to the orange thing covering her body; he could see black parts. This was meant to clearly cover up human bodies, which meant that being unclothed was different than where he came from. He'd always known this crucial information at the back of his head, and his curiosity was treading taboo territories as he wondered what humans looked like below the waist differently than merpeople...but his chance was denied.

A small shadow cast over him, and he looked over her to see two familiar faces. "Shisui...Sasuke," he said. "I take responsibility -"

"Nah, I do," his cousin said defeatedly. "I was the one to pull you out of the waters and get you into this..." His attention shifted down to Naru, whose back faced him. He reached and gently turned her over so she lay on her back. She stirred, warning she was waking up. But Shisui had his brief look over her and whistled. "Ya know, I do kinda see why she got you so much...she's so -"

"Shisui," Sasuke interrupted sharply, "Itachi, we'd better get going before she wakes up, and she won't be the only one we have to face." There were voices in the distance. It was time to go after all.

The trio was back into the waters just as the voices got closer, but Itachi wasn't ready to leave the site. He found his way back around the rock, finding the back and raising his head over the water surface to see several human men in uniforms, giving away their importance, surrounding her, and two got that much closer to Naru when she managed to stand on her own two legs. One was older with long white hair, and the other younger if older than her, with the same flashing hair like a sunburst. He held onto her, unwilling to let her go, and the white-haired male patted her on the back as the pair continued to embrace. Itachi had to take a guess the golden-haired male was Naru's father, but the other?

Shisui came up behind him and hissed in his ear. "Itachi, we'd better get back now. Your father..." He paused there, eyes becoming bug-like as if they should all really be worried about the impending punishment to be administered. They all had been gone too long. _Second time in the making._

"Get ready, _aniki_ ," Sasuke grumbled as he stayed on Itachi's left, their cousin on the right, and the three made way for the palace with great speed. Their secret entrance would suffice, but who knew when that would be discovered if it hadn't been already.

 _Even if I have ten slashes across my back, every mark was worth seeing that incredible girl. But any of our own who was taken hostage because of my actions..._

 _ **On'nanoko**_ **means** **"the girl", if it wasn't obvious.**

 **Itachi over an unconscious Naru - just like Ariel over Prince Eric. :'D Except no tsunami storm to bring the two to shore. Oh, and also: when Itachi wonders what Naru's body looks like beneath her clothes, remember that he's a merman and doesn't completely understand these things. It's not perversion in any sense.**

 **We all know that a mermaid easily falls in love with a human being, and that's what I intended to do here. However, since it's Itachi, the major question was HOW without making him OOC. Plus if he is to want to be with Naru, he needs a DAMNED good drive to make him go to extremes to join her on land...**


	5. Underwater Cave

**There are now elements of "The Little Mermaid" you'll recognize, but it's far from being a complete rip-off.**

Chapter Five

Underwater Cave

She thought she'd drowned, but the memory of the flash of red and silver convinced her not. Warmth hit her skin, her vision blinded by sunlight, and then she saw she was laying on _sand._ On her side, drying up. She wondered how long she had been laying this way, and became nervous about a sunburn. Wincing, she blinked a few times and saw she was laying on a shoreline, with waves lapping in the distance, some small ones coming her way.

She stood fast, wobbling, in time to hear voices yelling her name. "NARU!" She gasped in surprise. _Help has arrived, and less than a day late!_ She whirled and saw her father, Pervy Sage and the police officers coming her way. It was Minato who was first, and he swept her up in the tightest embrace that almost killed her if nearly drowning didn't. He didn't want to let her go again after last night...

There was the feeling of someone patting her back down, and it was Jiraiya. He was smiling, but his eyes had darkened. "Naru, I know you've been through a lot, but tell us all what happened," he said. "Was it the _Red Dawn_?"

Naru's eyes widened. Everything came flooding back to her, and suddenly she was in a dilemma. Her greatest fear was that no one would believe her if she told them _real mermaids_ had actually appeared before her eyes, so maybe it was best she told a form of the truth. "It was, Dad, Pervy Sage -" She heard him mutter that he wished she didn't call him that in front of the men he was in charge over. "- he was there." Their eyes widened. She didn't say his name, but they knew who she was talking about. "And he goes by the name of 'Pain' in front of his crew. He needed me as bait."

"Bait for what?" Minato demanded heatedly, taking her by both forearms and making her look him square.

"You guys won't believe me, but all these years, he has been hunting for...a creature from myth who will give eternal life," Naru said, finding the courage to look all the men in the eyes. Disbelief was the one emotion they shared in common, murmuring to each other and sharing glances. Jiraiya narrowed his eyes.

"He's been hunting for mermaids? And now I'm starting to see him more crazy than we thought he was..."

Minato shook his head, looking more sad than angry. "Same here," he murmured. "Which means he's still out there, and it's a solid lead. They have to still be out there...but how did you get away?" Naru was dreading that question.

"I have no idea, because they tied me and threw me into the water, and I almost drowned. I have no idea who it was, but before I blacked out, I felt someone pull me out of the water - and I woke up here."

~o~

Twenty lashes before the whole Uchiha clan, and this time it wasn't one of the sneering relatives, but _Shisui_ had been forced to deliver the punishment. He didn't want a repeat of last time, so he had to do it to Itachi. _To prevent another from having the pleasure._

Each strike was painful - but being double, it meant double the pain and a cut splitting open to let a little blood leak out. His mother had her eyes covered the entire time, and Sasuke was forced to watch because he had to learn his lesson in slipping out with his brother and cousin without permission. It had taken his efforts to take responsibility, but Shisui also did so. Fugaku apparently decided that giving Itachi twenty whippings to his back would be his way to pay the penalty.

But with each blow, every time he thought of a sun-haired human with eyes blue as the sky, and the agony was less excruciating. He recovered quickly, but with it doubling...

Returning to the palace meant that Fugaku deciphered where they had been all night and in the morning. But he also hadn't mentioned the secret escape; it did not mean they could take any chances, either.

"My own son - or should I say _both_ of them," Fugaku muttered, shaking his head. His graying black tail swished with his head, side to side. "I should just keep them both under constant supervision from now on - and Shisui, I ought to forbid you from being around them except on duty hours."

By this time, Itachi was numb, and his mind was going fuzzy. He could still hear the buzzes of words around him, and Shisui's response. "If Itachi is going to know what he is really dealing with when he takes command, then he should see the outside ahead of time instead of being sheltered within these walls. Don't you want him to know everything there is?" he asked heatedly.

Fugaku's face turned devilish red, the vein popping out of his forehead. As for the rest of the clan, there was an uproar: "Such arrogance...nonsense...disobedience...!" The list was endless.

"Fugaku-sama, lock the brats up if they are going to dishonor us all and threaten our very existence!"

He raised his voice in response. "SILENCE, all of you! I'll deal with Itachi myself. Because his actions involved saving a human against our sacred laws, violating protocol, and above all, letting a fellow _ningyo_ to be captured. The humans will get what comes to them as the gods deem it. Although Sasuke and Shisui..." He paused then and there, internally hesitating with his next words. "...did try to protect everyone despite aiding my dishonorable heir."

 _Dishonorable..._

He had heard worse, but it seemed that his own kin had shunned him all because he did what he believed was the right thing. If need be, they would cast him out for his actions, but Fugaku did not appear to have that intention... _yet._ He found himself looking down at the polished mother-of-pearl and mosaic floors, unable to look anyone in the eyes as he felt himself being carried away to be tended for. "Stay with me, _aniki_ ," Sasuke whispered to him as he took him away from the heated outbreak between Shisui and Fugaku, with the entire clan watching. Thank the gods the Senju, Yamanaka and Haruno weren't ever a part of this - but he would not be surprised if word got out to them somehow. It would be a subject his brother would end up speaking of to his betrothed.

"Oh, Itachi - my boys," he heard Mikoto sigh in defeat and despair. Yet he found that he was unable to acknowledge her. His pride was fighting to remain intact with the doubled lashes on his naked, muscular back. One was bleeding and needed to be closed back, despite no sharks being in their vicinity.

He had faced this before, and this time was for a different reason: he had been enchanted by a human girl he'd rescued from thugs and the sea.

~o~

Her mother and Kurama were both on her when she returned home - well, after the fox jumped on her and licked her like there was no tomorrow, her red-hot mother lost her wits and smothered her worse than Dad did. "Naru Uzumaki - if I ever see that bastard, then I am gonna kill him with my bare hands for sure this time!" she declared, looking over her daughter's shoulder when her husband locked the door and came beside her.

"I'm afraid to disappoint you, Kushina, but it's not gonna happen anytime soon. Jiraiya-sensei and the rest are going out there now to continue the search. If they can't catch the _Red Dawn_ and order surrender, they'll shoot down the ship and then apprehend any survivors."

She growled and released Naru. "They're gonna pay, Minato! I should have killed him myself when I had the chance -!" She ranted on until he cut her off, going over and shaking her, but not hard to leave any marks.

Naru swallowed, kneeling down to pick up Kurama. _Big boy._ "Kushina, get a hold of yourself!" Minato said, risking a red-faced wife threatening to hit him if he didn't release her. He did, but he wasn't done. "Yahiko is the captain of the _Red Dawn._ He thought to use our daughter as bait to catch a...mermaid." To mention a mythical creature was foreign and strange, and if anyone heard about this, the press and the community would be on their hides, having more than one field day for who knew how long. Naru wasn't sure she could handle that.

Kushina huffed furiously. "In that case, if he is serious about that, then that means I can get my group involved in saving that part of the sea, if it's been 'uncharted' and should be left as it is."

Minato blushed. "He lost two of his men, according to Naru -" She was irritated that her father talked about her as if she wasn't there, and she'd spent hours going through this with the police.

"Excuse me, Dad, I'm still standing here." Kurama growled a little as her defense, making him laugh. "And Mom, with what you said, he wants to be, and I quote, 'god of the seas'." _It's so damned crazy, but it makes sense in every way. Those mermaids...they're all real, and with the way they attacked, two men taken down, they're just protecting their territory._

"Right, sorry." Her dad cleared his throat. "Yahiko is calling himself 'Pain'. But there is no telling if he's gonna come back for Naru if he knows she's survived." He turned his attention to her, but his look didn't make her flinch as much as her mother's did.

"Which means, just to be safe, we're not letting you off by yourself for awhile, or allowing you to go back onto the water like last night," Kushina stated.

 _What the hell? Am I being treated like a kid just because of this?_ Her rational thinking insisted she listen, because there might be a chance Pain and his crew could lay low, then reassemble, before going back out. But what if they found someone else?

Minato sighed. "I guess I have to agree with your mother. Just keep with your friends again, never leave their sight, or at least have some kind of protection on yourself if you do." He reached behind himself to pull out a loaded handgun with the safety on. "Jiraiya-sensei filled the license paperwork himself."

Taking it into her hands, Naru admired the nice black metal handled with pewter, and the weight was nice. Holding this thing made her feel more safer than before. Not everyone could be granted this privilege of protecting themselves. If she saw any of those bastards on land, then they would get a shot to their balls. She felt a grin grow and snickered. Kurama looked up at her, swishing his tail out and whimpering before grinning slyly up at her as he sensed her train of thought.

Even her parents looked like they were also feeling better.

~o~

He was kept under tight supervision since the public whipping. His father kept the promise in being responsible for him, Sasuke and Shisui. His cousin was kept separated from him, but knowing Shisui, he would find a way around. Itachi had been thinking about that himself.

Sasuke was currently being lectured by their father, with poor Mikoto forced to linger and watch. _No doubt Father is saying that his youngest son better not repeat the mistakes again that his older brother has done. It's just like him..._

He was here in his room now, laying on the opened mother-of-pearl shell that was his bed, laying along his side and bored out of his mind. He should be doing something productive, loathed being confined. He never thought he would realize it. His cousin really opened his eyes. Itachi changed his position then, having laid on his stomach with his tail fin swaying upwards, and now he was on his back staring up at the larimar-encrusted ceiling. His tail was a stark contrast against the lively blue. Black glimmered like an additional jewel, with silver and rippling red. But the blue beyond made him think about Naru's eyes...

 _If I wasn't a virtual prisoner right now, I would slip past the guards outside the door and see her, if only for an hour, if she comes to the shores..._

He could never forget her beautiful face or that foreign sensation, or the relief washing over his insides when he knew she was safe as he left her where she was, surrounded by other humans who cared about her. But while he saved her life, he let one of his own - one of those known to the humans in legends - be taken away. _If you tried to save him, you'd have been captured as well. There might be a chance he can flee when that ship goes down in a storm._

If he spent his time moaning in self-pity over this, he would never have peace and move on. What happened had been fate's hand, and it left him with a very serious, dangerous question: was rescuing Naru a part of his destiny?

"Itachi?"

He jerked at the sound of his name. _How in heaven's name did you get past -?_ "Sasuke, what are you doing here?"

His brother snorted and slipped around a column before the entryway. "Those guards didn't see me come in. That shows how much swifter than everyone thinks I am," he stated coyly, swaying forward and then "standing" upright. "But you might be happy to know that I got a handful of good ideas for you, _aniki._ You really want to see that human of yours again?" he asked, dropping his voice low in case anyone was listening.

Itachi suspected the younger must have had time to explore behind their father's back, for he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Where are you going with this, Sasuke?" he asked softly.

"Relax, Itachi. I hear word getting around. In fact, few know about this...and the source I received is very reliable, but it means that we have to do what we do best if you want to be on land for that human woman."

He sat upwards. "Sasuke, I do not like where this is going," he said sternly. His spine rippled with electrical chills. If it was what he thought it was, then it seemed he had to deny whatever it was if he didn't want to risk anymore lives. He wasn't sure he could bear to handle another life offed because of him... _and besides, Shisui feels responsible enough that he had to defend me in front of Father._

"Why are you doing this for me, _otouto?_ "

Sasuke shrugged. "You're my big brother. You've always looked out for me. Plus, aren't you tired of how our lives are now?" Somehow he saw another hint hidden behind those words...

Itachi waved it all off. "I doubt that is the only reason, Sasuke, as much as I believe you. Are you desperate to get rid of me so you can take my place?" he questioned, earning a startled gasp and a sneer.

"Itachi, you think I'm as low as the scum outside these walls?!"

"You're right; I didn't mean to insinuate. But tell me...who is this source you are talking about?"

Sasuke's face darkened, having little trace of excitement. "Well, he's no one that our clan trusted for a long time, or even the others, and he's in a place where no one dares to venture..."

His blood turned to ice much colder than the darkest depths of the ocean. _Don't tell me..._

~o~

The being lazing in his hole in the coral wall watched with yellow eyes lidded like the serpent he partially was. He licked his lips with his long tongue as he watched the scene displayed in his bubble ball glowing as bright as the sun. It had been so long since he'd seen the light without the fear of being snatched by fishermen. But he intended to make that a reality after all these years of perfecting his spells...

 _Just one more soul, and the phase is complete._

"Oh, _yessss,_ little prince, I knew you would eventually come to seek me out." He turned his attention then and there to the four at his disposal. "Go to him when he enters this domain."

They were outcasts just like he was, abominable hybrids shunned and without a place. Nature was simple like that - or so you'd think. He always knew there was more than meets the eye, and there were always clues and possibilities beyond your wildest dreams, but that was precisely why he was exiled for his "crimes". He was on the brink of a revolution; if only those fools hadn't interfered.

"Yes, my lord," his four subordinates echoed, then turned and swished their tail fins to go off to his bidding. He glanced down at the bowl of wiggling shrimp waiting for their destiny - inside his mouth and then down his stomach where they would never get out. Picking one up between his long, spidery fingers white as death, he popped the poor thing into his mouth, the wide eyes silently begging him for mercy as it squealed its last.

~o~

She still couldn't believe what had appeared on the news. It was the day after that she'd gone home, got the gun from her father and Jiraiya, that Kushina turned on the television and was just as shocked - and relieved - as she was. But it was also very strange since the day was supposed to be clear, but no, the headline was _crystal_ clear:

 **NOTORIOUS** _ **RED DAWN**_ **CREW AND SHIP FOUND SUNKEN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN**

She thought she was suffocating, out of dismay instead of grief. There were so many questions raised as the reporter relayed the information: _how the hell did the_ Red Dawn _sink? And why was there activity on the weather radar that indicated a storm in that area when there_ shouldn't _have been?_

There had been possible chances that Jiraiya's force would have found her kidnappers on the water, but there was also scouting beneath the ocean to see if any clues had been left by them...and no one expected to find the entire ship in pieces seventy feet at the bottom.

There were a total of ten bodies found, but the one of Pain had not been among them. "Could he have survived?" Kushina questioned with some worry. She sat on the right side of her husband, Naru on the left with Kurama laying across her lap, staring unblinking at the television.

Minato exhaled and shrugged one shoulder. "It might be possible, but if he did, you have to wonder how he could have survived those waters..."

"I hope he's dead," Naru stated, earning both eyes from her parents. The fox raised his head from her lap and whimpered. _Because if he is, then he's out of our misery._ At the back of her head, she had a feeling that the cause might have been what she believed it was: a _ningyo_ that had been caught in the hysteria barely two nights ago.

~o~

The lair of the one he was looking for went off the cliff of this floor, to deeper and darker territories. There would rest sunken ships, possibly the skeletons of drowned humans, as well as lost cargo becoming precious treasure waiting to be discovered in years, perhaps centuries to come.

This place was off-limits, save for those who were exiled as punishment. No _ningyo_ of both his kind and the rest could ever hope to live here...

It was also the perfect nesting place for sharks.

That alone was enough for Itachi to not have Sasuke tail after him. Though accompanied by his father and other Uchiha, he'd braved off sharks and other predators with their tridents and necessary weapons when their home was threatened. However, in recent years, the threat slowly decreased after one of the enemies - a rare hybrid of man and shark - was offered a truce that Itachi did the honors of proposing, shocking both his clan and the other's. It was promised that if they left each other alone, then there would be no bloodshed.

But Itachi was coming back for his own reasons - and it would seem he was breaking the truce. He and Sasuke could never tell anyone else - even if it was someone trustworthy - because then it was all over. And Shisui would most likely try to stop them for certain. The long-haired Uchiha loathed doing this to his best friend, but it was necessary to keep him from being in more trouble over covering for his tail.

He did NOT expect to see four individuals waiting for him as he reached the site of the drop-off.

"Oh, look, guys, it's the little prince himself," one of them sneered, and he slithered forward to gaze at Itachi with devilish eyes. His hair was short and silver, but the bottom half of his body was that of an eel. Also, the most morbid sight made his stomach turn: attached to the being's back was a _head_ , with his own face. He was a double-headed man-eel hybrid, and Itachi Uchiha had never seen anything like this. The next one, rounded slightly and auburn-haired, was a sort of crab mix, with the torso of a man and the claws and legs of said crustacean. The third male had shaggy black hair, but marking him to stand out was the fact he had _eight limbs - is he a human-octopus?!_ Add in he had a third eye on his forehead!

Itachi had no idea which of the three were more disturbing than the others.

Finally, there was only one female, and safe to say she appeared to be a normal mermaid, though her tail was as red as her wild hair, and the fins along her back, sides and the bottom of her tail were glinting dull gold. But her lip curled when she set her muddy eyes on him. "Yeah, Sakon," she said to the double-head, "it's the pampered brat himself. And he's all alone." Her sing-song mocking him made the Uchiha's thread jolt.

"Who are you?" Itachi demanded calmly. She snorted and flipped her tail fin rudely into his face, which he dodged without trouble.

"Tayuya," the crab-man said harshly, "that's no way to greet the guest."

She snorted at him. "'Guest'? He's not to me. He's just a spoiled little runt, and his younger brother won't be any better than him. Everyone in his whole clan is the same. The Uchiha can all rot in the bottomless pits for all I care -" She was interrupted by a long, tan-colored fleshy tentacle latching around her tail and jerking her down to the muddy ocean bottom. Murk flared before their eyesights. "Kidomaru, you piece of -" Tayuya spat.

"Enough," the octopus hybrid snarled. "Lord Orochimaru is expecting him, and we're all wasting time getting to know each other." His eyes dilated with irritation when they looked back at Itachi. "Crab-man is called Jirobo, and you heard this loud-mouth witch is Tayuya." Another of his tentacles slapped over her mouth when she tried to curse again, which amused Itachi to no end, but he didn't show it. "And that double-headed freak is Sakon; his extra head is his twin Ukon. I'm Kidomaru, and you yourself are Itachi, heir to the fearsome Uchiha clan. Now that we all know each other, let's go to our master...who's expecting you."

 _It seems this Orochimaru must have already seen me coming somehow. I don't feel right about this...but it's too late to turn back now._ Itachi said nothing and let the four hybrids lead him down into the darkness.

~o~

"You've really done it, Sasuke," Shisui muttered under his breath as the two of them made way out through their secret hiding place. "I never thought you'd go far as to suggest THIS to your own brother!" They had to hurry if they wanted to get to Itachi on time.

"What else was there?" the younger Uchiha returned as their tails swished with speed to get away from the palace before the guards saw them. Nothing mattered, not even Fugaku, but the one on their minds. "You said it yourself, he deserves a chance to see the world more. I wanted to see the world myself, too, but I think Itachi earned the right. Because you and I have seen the way he looked at that human - and it's what I have with Sakura." _Even though our match was arranged, she annoyed me in the beginning, but she's nothing like any female I'd ever known. Itachi..._

Itachi deserved the privilege of seeing the surface first. But Shisui was far from excited. "When I said that, I did NOT mean going to that serpent!" he snapped, his tail whipping with emphasis. "Sasuke, this had better be worth trading his soul for, and as for you - I hope it was worth 'helping' your big brother."

 _Orochimaru is the devil himself. You might be growing up, but there is a part of you that's still_ _naïve_ _and foolish like_ aniki _always told you. You were so damned hasty in deciding this..._

"How much did you hear about him?" Shisui demanded as they reached the drop-off, where below the sharks lived, as well as the one his best friend was heading for. Knowing Itachi, he wouldn't be stupid to go in unarmed.

Sasuke huffed. "That he's supposedly a genius who's broken boundaries no one has done before, but he wasn't accepted. Yet everything he's done sounds incredible..." The ghost of a grin appeared, making Shisui shake his head in defeat.

By the time they were at the bottom, from a collection of dark seaweed popped out a flytrap plant which opened to show a half-and-half face of black and white with yellow eyes. The white half had a high-pitched voice and a constantly wagging tongue without shame. "Oh, lovely! The Uchiha cousins come into our humble lane! You're just in time." And the black half spoke wickedly. **"The prince is going off to that snake, so you two better hurry up."**

Shisui's breath hitched. The weight on his soul increased upon hearing those words. _Sometimes I never knew my limits, and I got Itachi into this mess - both him and his brother. But there's no going back. Might as well go where he goes, to hell with the consequences._

 _But when Fugaku learns his heir has gone to the Serpent of the Sea himself, it's exile for all three of us. The clan is gonna face a civil war over who the next in line is._

"Zetsu, what are you, holding back the boys from rescuing the prince?" In came none other than the leader of this domain - or rather, leader of his kind. Kisame Hoshigaki, a rare man-shark, and it was believed that his breed had come from either a woman and shark, or a human male with a female shark, which was too grotesque to think about. It was with he that Itachi brought peace between their peoples, but the shark man held the Uchiha peacemaker in the highest regards. His teeth bared at the sight of Shisui and Sasuke. "It's nice to see you two again."

"As much as I want to say it's pleasant, it's far from it," Shisui stated. "Where did Itachi go?"

Kisame chuckled and pointed behind him with his tail fin. "You couldn't have come at a perfect timing while I was heading north for my next meal, gentlemen. When you find Itachi, send my regards as he'd missed me - but be careful of the four with him," he said, gilled face falling grimly. "They serve Orochimaru. It's best to not take entering the snake's domain lightly."

"We know all of that," Sasuke snapped, going ahead like the reckless kid he still was. Shaking his head, Shisui thanked Kisame and the plant-man Zetsu before trailing after his younger cousin.

~o~

When the darkness cleared, there was light mixing of purple and green, but it gave off a sickly atmosphere. There were the wreckages rumored; he was treading death's doorstep. The farther he traveled with his four guides, the more his spinal fins trembled with the chills. _I'm not afraid,_ he kept telling himself. _I have never been afraid of anything._

Beyond the graveyard was a series of small volcanoes, puffing up steam and bubbles, and now the group came across rocky terrains where there would be caves, which Itachi had to take a guess and believed Orochimaru resided in one of them...

The four creatures brought him to one at the very bottom, where a glow resonated. They paused at the entrance, on either side - Tayuya and Kidomaru on one end, and Sakon/Ukon and Jirobo on the other - all leering at him. He disregarded them altogether and proceeded in, the chill up his spine lessening only to flare up again at the sight of a miserable, anguishing sight that he did his best to keep high and above to not let any of these THINGS at the bottom of the doorway and cavern touch him.

To the normal eye, they would appear as polyp, with the little tentacles and opened mouths - but if you looked closely at their faces, you would see two little beads called _eyes._ They weren't normal anemone...

Normal polyp did _not_ unleash despairing, wordless cries the way these were doing, either.

Itachi narrowly missed one that extended and tried to wrap around his arm, another his tail, before he was away from the tunnel and safely into another area, devoid of those creatures. But it didn't seem like they wanted to hurt him; his nerves thrummed as he realized they were trying to scare him away. It was like they didn't want him to be here.

"Come in, little _shokou_ ," called a slithering voice through another tunnel - which actually turned out to be a hole in the wall, and a tail like his own dangled out. It was dark gray, the fins being a lighter hue, though reflecting off purple lines. The body emerged, showing a pale, leanly muscled upper body which was deathly, and then an angular face which reminded him somewhat of an abnormal combination of the beastly merfolk and his own side. Long black hair swayed wildly like his own. But those eyes...yellow and slitted, scrutinized him like he was next prey.

"You're Orochimaru," Itachi stated, "and I heard what you can do."

A long and thick tongue slipped out and licked his lips. "Indeed. I've wondered if the Uchiha prince could come my way someday. I wonder how you learned about me, not that it truly matters. What is important is that you are here...and I know what it is that your heart desires most," he hissed, swimming over and coming to stand behind Itachi, who cringed at the near close proximity.

 _Sasuke...you really had no idea what kind of man he is. You meant well, but you made this decision for me too quickly. I should have refused -_ "Oh, Itachi-kun, don't be afraid." That tongue came out and licked the shell of his ear, and that was the last straw.

Itachi pulled away and faced him. "That is enough. Can you give me what I seek?"

The snake-like _ningyo_ chuckled. "Dear Uchiha, that is what I do. Although...surely you realize it does not come without a price," he pointed out, going over to the bubble-like ball in the middle of the cavern. He waved a hand over it, and it lit to life, showing the face of none other than Naru, smiling like the sunlight. Itachi's heart warmed and vibrated at the sight of her. Orochimaru knew what he wanted... _too well..._

"Yesss, she's quite the catch, isn't she? It's a pity that she is a human, and you a merman...but that can be easily corrected. I was shunned for making this great discovery and attempt to change our way of life. I imagine you were told there is more to life than these waters, and why should we all be separated from the surface forever? Life is boring to remain confined in one place for too long..." Orochimaru droned on, eyes closing halfway as if he was having a dream. The lids reopened all the way and focused back on him, but Itachi was too lost in his thoughts and gazing at the girl in the ball - but he heard every word the sea serpent said.

 _He's right. This may be my one chance to set things right, to do something for myself, and who knows what else needs to be done. I wonder what my destiny will be from here...but wait, he said this comes with a price._ "If I agree to this, what is the catch?"

"Quite simply, you have one week to get the girl to fall in love with you. Don't be a fool and deny love. Humans are capable as your kind is, after all." Another lick of the lips. "But if she doesn't love you by the expiration day at sundown, then you will return to being a _ningyo._ "

Itachi was no fool; he could see that if he got Naru to love him as strongly as he knew he was feeling, then he would be human forever, never to return to his clan or to his brother and best friend...but if he lost Naru's heart and he reverted back to his current form, this demon would have his body and soul as payment. It was a gamble with extremely high stakes; was he really willing to risk everything he had, damn his own soul for this?

"Well, Itachi...what is your answer?"

He found himself looking past Orochimaru at the gathering of polyp in the tunnel, suddenly having an idea as to what they really were. _They're lost mermaid souls...for having what they desired most in the heart, with no other option to make it happen, and when it didn't go the way they wanted, they paid dearly for it._

But then he found himself looking at Naru in the bubble. The sensation in his body and heart could never be tamed. He had never felt anything like this, and no other mermaid arranged in the past for him ever ignited such a spark in him. And the bottle Orochimaru had in front of him was colored dark red, like blood, and it was very passionate. The serpent-man was growing impatient. "Come now, my prince, I am a very busy man. I don't have all day..."

Itachi sharply took a breath, his heart thumping once and powerfully against his breastbone. "Fine...I accept it."

~o~

It had not been easy to get into Orochimaru's lair, but by the time they arrived, Shisui and Sasuke had to dodge the strange-looking polyp in the tunnel. He did not like this one bit; this was Orochimaru's doing. They were once like him, Sasuke and Itachi, only when they made deals with the snake hybrid, the price was so high and irreversible. To think that Itachi would suffer that fate...

He and Sasuke remained outside to hear everything that was explained to Itachi. He'd have one week on land with the girl, but if he failed, he would return back and take his place among those poor, unfortunate souls beneath him and Sasuke. The creatures were watching them both, shaking uncontrollably. _Maybe they tried to get Itachi out and failed...I wouldn't blame them. Who knows; they tried to stop others before, only to become one of them._

He tried to shout to Itachi to not accept the deal, but his cousin didn't hear him, for one of Octopus Boy's tentacles came and wrapped around his mouth to silence him, and Sasuke got the same treatment.

"...I accept it." Those words sealed Itachi's fate. _Damn it all!_

Orochimaru smiled ear to ear as he opened the bottle and motioned Itachi to "lay" across him. Itachi did just that, cue to a good length of the mysterious dark liquid to be poured in a great thin length from Itachi's waistline to the end of his tail fin. Then the line bubbled and began to seep in, making Itachi hiss and squeeze his eyes tightly shut. It looked painful - but of course it would be. Altering your structure into another...

"I suppose you should have asked if it would hurt, little _shokou,_ " Orochimaru said, rumbling in his throat as he corked the bottle once more. "But of course it is supposed to. Tell me, how does it feel...?" Shisui narrowed his eyes while Sasuke might have bared his teeth, if they were both still gagged by Octo-Freak.

Itachi's lips drew back as he bared his teeth. "Like...a sword...cutting me in half..."

As he and Sasuke watched, Itachi's tail began to change altogether. The changes were drastic and happened in a flash of light to every part of his lower body. While that occurred, the silvery spikes along his back slowly disappeared into his skin and bones. His cries were harsh and stricken with a terrible pain as he writhed about. His tail split in half, and some blood leaked out before the ghastly, meaty wounds closed. Two separate limbs formed an opened triangle like the humans had, but the scales vanished, leaving behind smooth, ivory skin like his upper body, two bare human feet attached to the ends.

Orochimaru's smile was sinister at the sight of Itachi Uchiha in full human form, but his struggling to breathe and swim was disturbing. He turned his attention to both Shisui and Sasuke when they were released and thrust forward.

"If I were the two of you, I would get him to the surface as quickly as possible. It doesn't appear he would last much longer down here..."

 **In the original "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen, the sea witch told the mermaid that as her tail became human legs, it was like a sword cutting through her, and then walking on numerous knives.**

 _ **Shokou**_ **means "prince". And poor Itachi now...it was fun to imagine him in Ariel's position when she bargains with Ursula, but it was also bone-chilling now that Orochimaru is involved - even more with the "lost mermaid souls in the garden". :S Review please.**


	6. Ocean Breeze

Chapter Six

Ocean Breeze

As he told Orochimaru, it felt like a sword splitting him in two. He didn't see what was happening, for fear of seeing his own blood, but he felt it all. He felt the spikes along his back shrinking into his bones and flesh, and his tail fins drastically becoming something else. His scales itched as they melted together and changed into the same texture as his arms and upper body.

His lungs...he couldn't breathe underwater now...couldn't speak...

He had become a human.

Did Orochimaru intend to have him _drown_ down here? Was it a sick joke on his part? _No...wait..._

"...the two of you, I would get him to the surface as quickly as possible. It doesn't appear he would last much longer down here..." The snake was speaking to someone who had showed up in midst of his agonizing transformation. His suffocating breath hitched, and all he could do was let loose air bubbles. Someone had followed him here; Orochimaru couldn't be referring to his grotesque lackeys, could he?

 _Shisui and Sasuke._ His arms were taken on either side, and he was being pulled up and away, but the darkness advancing on him must have been what Naru felt when she nearly drowned before he'd gotten to her...

Suddenly, everything changed. His lungs were suddenly filled with precious oxygen. Throwing his head back, keeping his eyes closed, Itachi exhaled.

"Breathe, _aniki_ ," he heard Sasuke plead, near his ear, telling him that his younger brother was holding him up. He could no longer feel his tail, but his new legs felt weak and wobbly for the moment. He was so tired he could barely move, which both his brother and cousin noted and began to guide him somewhere, if there was a shore nearby...

Some time passed before Itachi regained his strength and found himself on solid ground. He was on sand - _yes, they brought me to the land...but where?_ Opening his eyes, he discovered he was laying on his side, staring at golden sand, and ahead, a line of blue sky, as well as tall green grass which wasn't seaweed. The sun didn't directly hit his eyes, but it made him close his eyes again because it _hurt._ But the smell of fresh air and salty water was rejuvenating to his senses. A warm breeze washed over his bare skin. Itachi sighed and nuzzled into the sand, trying not to fall back asleep.

"Itachi!"

It was Sasuke who said his name. His brother was laying sideways right behind him right now. He mustered the strength to sit upright, rolling his shoulders back and forth until his bones popped, and his muscles relaxed. Sighing, Itachi turned to full-front and stared out at the ocean, marveling with surprise as to how BEAUTIFUL it looked from this position. It was light blue, matching the sky in one entity, but the feature to separate it from the heavens was the sparkling as if it were a precious gemstone. It was the most exquisite sight he'd seen...

"Itachi, look at yourself." Sasuke interrupted his musings, making him frown, but when he did glance down, he heard himself gasp in shock at the _two legs_ in place of his tail.

The skin was smooth as his upper body, the limbs muscled like his arms, and his feet! He didn't know how to describe them, but those little buds on the end, starting big at one end and then going to the smallest in the other - there were five altogether. Itachi couldn't hold back his laughter when he wiggled them like he could move his fingers.

Sasuke watched with rapt attention and fascination. His eyes sparkled. "Just look at that!" Shisui crowed, his head bursting from the water, beneath the long deck of wood not that far away from them. "He's got himself a nice pair of legs!" But then his expression turned dark. "I hope it's going to be worth it, because Sasuke..."

"You really want to lecture me right now?" the youngest Uchiha demanded. "Look at my brother; he's enjoying this and he might be able to do this."

Itachi hardly paid attention to them and found himself standing - or rather, attempting to. His new legs wobbled like jelly, and he lost his balance, toppling forward and into the water which had just splashed onto the shore. He choked and gasped, sputtering out salty water and sand. He scowled. This position...he felt embarrassed beyond belief. His legs spread out behind him. Was this how humans felt...?

Sasuke groaned and slapped his forehead. "Just look at that: he's barely standing and already falling all over himself."

"He just needs getting used to," Shisui stated, "but we also don't have much time to get him ready. After today, there are six days left..." _And for all we know, someone could be coming this way anytime...but how do I look for Naru like THIS?_ Itachi managed to sit upright on his knees, which was the joint connecting both parts of each leg together.

Gazing down at himself once more, Itachi saw this part for the first time. Below his stomach and at the top of his legs was a piece of flesh perhaps as long as his whole hand, the tip shaped like the top of a jellyfish, and around the base curling black hairs. His brow furrowed as he wondered if this was what all humans had, but he didn't get the chance to ask aloud as he heard voices - and among them was the one he had been searching long and hard for. His heart skipped some beats.

"Kurama, get back here!"

~o~

It seemed all of Konoha was celebrating the recent loss of the _Red Dawn_. People were in the streets, those with their days off enjoying good drinks with their friends and loved ones, and others simply going about without any worry of these "bad men of the sea". It also meant Kushina could stop worrying for her daughter, Naru could go back out with her friends on the water, and Minato could return when his break was over without worrying about his big competition any longer. The sea had one less trouble to worry about.

 _But Pain...he hasn't been found among the bodies down there. He may have survived, but how...?_

But was she worried? No, she wasn't. Besides, with Dad and Pervy Sage's gun to her, she still felt safer. She never needed anything of this kind, but things sure changed.

She and Dad planned to take Kurama down to the beach today since it had been awhile since the fox had seen the ocean and sands. _Maybe pick up some new shells._ Hinata went with, in a one-shouldered magenta top and white shorts, a sheer lavender sarong around her waist, and her hair held back in a high ponytail.

Naru felt like she was a mermaid getting on dry land when she selected something airy and feminine. The dress was aqua blue like the ocean, reaching her ankles, and she put in flowers in her ears and around her neck. Her dad got her this as her first set, when she turned thirteen, and this was still a favorite; four petals of painted primrose around a smooth pearl. Kurama had been curled up on the edge of the bed while he watched and growled his approval. "Thanks, boy," she said, scratching him behind the ears. His tail flopped out and thumped on the bedspread.

"I bet your...dad -" To even call Hiashi Hyuuga a dad was bittersweet on her tongue. "- is happy there is one less trouble on the waters to worry about," she told Hinata when they were in the back of Minato's car. Her dad chuckled lightly.

"He...is happy, but Hanabi has been slipping out with her friends again," the Hyuuga answered, blushing. "Father really takes her side and 'disciplines' her in another way. She has the brains for the business, but she's got a rebellious streak that concerns me..."

Minato shook his head as he listened to this. "Teenagers...but you two weren't that bad - except maybe you, Naru," he told her lightly. _Oh, never going to let me live down when I turned eighteen, because of Mom - and Pervy Sage was worse when he happened to "coincidentally" spot me from far away at the bar with everyone._

Kurama was in her lap and snoozing heavily. _Lazy fox,_ she thought, rubbing the back of his head, _but you'll be back to your old self when we get to the beach. Maybe some shrimp for you to catch?_ And as predicted, when they first arrived, Minato parked the car and all of them got out. Kurama bolted to life and went leaping about, making the three of them laugh at the fox's excitement. The breeze was nice and smelled salty.

But just then, Kurama perked up as if sensing something, and he immediately took off in the direction towards the beach. Panic flared in her. "Hey, wait up, you stupid fox!" Naru yelled, kicking off her sandals and running barefoot along the sand to catch up with her obnoxious pet.

"Naru, I'm coming!" Hinata cried, rushing right after her. The blonde ran around seaweed-covered rocks and sea foam, keeping tail of her furry friend.

Her skirt whipped around her legs as she picked up running pace. "Kurama, get back here!" When she got him, she would give him a damned good - "Oh, Kami! What the hell?!"

She'd rounded the deck and stopped when she found him. Hinata halted behind with a gasp. Kurama stopped and had resorted to chasing _someone_ onto a rock that happened to be further up the beach. _Oh...God..._

What the hell happened to her? Did she just die or something?

A man was on the rock - no, correction: a _butt naked man_ was on the rock. With that position, the bottom half of his body was obscured from her and Hinata's vision, but what she saw of him, his body was very well-muscled but still lean. His skin was pale, however, like he wasn't in the sun a lot. The rays radiated off his hair, long and gleaming like the blackest night. The straight locks freely fell over one shoulder, momentarily shielding his face away from her, and he was shrinking further and further into the rock as he tried to get away from Kurama who was attempting to get on with him.

"KURAMA!" Naru shouted, and the fox stopped, whimpering and cowering back. _So that's what got him excited: he smelled someone around. But I've never seen him like this before..._

Hearing her voice, the man paused and perked his head up, and now she saw his face. Stunned, she took a step back. She'd...never seen a face like THAT. It was narrow but angular, aristocratic, with a straight nose and thin lips, high cheekbones, and two lines downturned beneath his dark eyes, giving him the look of a weasel. He stared back at her for a moment with some surprise, before it averted into a smile of...gratitude?

"You crazy boy," she scolded the fox when he came back to her side. "You don't just go and scare someone onto a rock like that." She picked up her skirt and knelt down beside Kurama as he jumped onto her, licking her face.

A noise made her look back up, and she remembered the stranger on the rock. "Oh, I'm sorry about my friend here. Kurama gets excited sometimes." Naru frowned then. "Um...what's your name, and what are you doing out here?" she questioned.

The man stared at her for a moment, his brows knitting together, before his expression relaxed. A moment passed before he answered her. "I-Ita -"

Hinata hadn't spoken for awhile because she had been blushing so much, and it wasn't because of the sun. "Um, what is it?" she managed, coming closer to be beside Naru. She was unfastening her sarong around herself to give to the strange man, making the blonde remember that he was nude. _And why in hell is he naked?_

"My...name...is Itachi." His voice was low, but deep and rich, like dark chocolate. Almost shyly, as if not knowing what to do, he pushed his hair behind his shoulder, gazing at her and her friend as if nothing was wrong - or rather, as if he didn't know what else to say. "And you two?"

Smiling and happy he could talk - though she had so many questions still - Naru stood up, and Kurama slipped behind her, his tail lashing out in random directions. "I'm Naru," she answered. "Naru Uzumaki, and this is my best friend -" She slapped a hand on her blushing pal's shoulder, who looked down with a tight smile and cheeks red as Kushina's hair. "- Hinata Hyuuga." She frowned now.

"What are you doing out here...like this?"

The man, called Itachi, stared back with a couple blinks as if he didn't understand the question. Then he turned halfway to look down at himself. The position caused his hips to shift, and now both girls had a view of the side of his rear end. _Oh, God, if Dad doesn't come right now - OH, DAMN IT, DAD! Why did I forget about him?!_

"Naru, Hinata, where are you girls?" she heard him calling, and she just about jumped out of her skin at the same time Hinata bolted forward, sarong in her hand and turned her face away as soon as she reached Itachi. She held the garment up to him, but she didn't see the quizzical look in his eyes, making Naru snap suddenly.

"My dad is coming, so cover yourself up with that!" she hissed. "He'll flip if he sees you!" She didn't mean to snap at him like that, but it was true. Or would her dad simply be flustered? Plus, how was she going to explain to him all of this -?

On par, Minato showed up, and as soon as he saw the handsome, nude young man get off the rock and take Hinata's sarong to drape around his slim, jutting hips, his eyes bulged, his body jerked randomly, and he uttered a series of incoherent phrases. "Dad," Naru said quickly, going up to him and putting both hands on his shoulders to keep him in place, "it's not what it looks like. Kurama smelled him, and we found him here."

Calming down but still madly pink, Minato took a few gulps and nodded. "Oh, yes, well...ahem, I never thought I'd see the day where my daughter and her friend come across a naked man on the beach like this," he sputtered, doubling over with laughter that it made her angrier. Seriously, this was no joking matter! _But if Mom saw this, she'd have a bigger field day and pass out._

"But what do we do, Dad? We can't just leave him here, and we didn't even get his story out yet."

Minato grunted in agreement, then walked right up to Itachi who had the sheer purple fabric around his waist - but you could still see through a little. Naru tried her hardest to not look _there_. "His name is Itachi, Minato-san," Hinata said.

"Itachi, is it?" he asked with a grin, looking him over. "You do kind of look like a weasel with those marks on your face." Itachi stared at her father with a blink...as if he didn't know what a weasel was! Naru wasn't sure what to think about this. How could he not know -? "So, what brings you out here like this?"

Itachi's brows continued to twitch as he tried to think of how to put it in words. Meanwhile, she did not know what to make of this guy who didn't speak much. But she couldn't judge him too quickly when she had little to no information. "I...was lost at sea," he said finally, still leaning against the rock, and she saw why. When he tried to stand on his own, his legs wobbled. "I ended up here."

Minato looked him over with a slight frown, mixed thoughts in motion. "Something tells me you're not from around here..." Itachi shook his head, then turned his gaze to his left, out at the ocean.

"I'm from across the waters," was all he said, devoid of solid ground and cryptic.

Kurama looked up at him, panting lightly. At the sight of the animal, he shifted further back into the rock, making all of them laugh. "Don't mind him," Minato assured him. "Did my daughter tell you that's how he is?"

"Yes." _He must have a miniature vocabulary._

"I'm Minato Namikaze." Her dad held out his hand. "It was rude of me to not introduce myself - girls, you already did?" She and Hinata nodded once. "I guess we don't have time to get to know each other in this...condition." He was referring to Itachi's state of undress. Naru was relieved that he mentioned it without directly using the words. But that also left something else once they got him away from the beach.

"Dad, what are we going to do with him? I mean, we can't just have him wandering around town alone and naked, and we don't know where he really came from," Naru pointed out, pulling him aside, knowing full well it was rude, and Hinata was left speaking to Itachi, trying to get used to him and looking past his state of undress. After all, it wasn't every day she or the Hyuuga came across someone like Itachi...whatever his surname was...

Minato cracked a grin only for it to be gone. "You're right about that. I know how to handle this." And that meant to broaden the vicinity if there was any close relations or family missing a relative fitting Itachi's description - or they, too, were dead at sea, marking him as the only survivor with no place to return to. Though that also mean broadening the search for contact information regarding news reports of activity on the ocean, which could take forty-eight hours at most.

"Didn't Mom always say that you should _always_ help someone even if you don't know them?" she slyly asked her father, who in turn reached to ruffle her loose hair and made her playfully swat his hands away.

~o~

His brother had made it safely to the humans' shore. He and Shisui watched it all from beneath the deck, listening in on everything. _Itachi really is trying to understand human behavior and life, if he's going to come up with a good story for himself._ Shisui agreed when he voiced this aloud.

"We'll come by some time and see how he is - that is, if we CAN," his cousin stated, referring to Fugaku and the guards. And speaking of which, they had to go back home now. If they kept vigil on Itachi like this, everything would be blown over. There was no telling what their father could do when he found out his eldest son and heir...

 _Mother will be devastated, but Father will likely grieve just because he lost an heir, and that would mean I am placed. I'm in second place, but I'll have training given._ He always wanted to show his clan he was capable, make his brother proud because Itachi believed in him, but now he felt guilty. If things went smoothly and his _aniki_ had the human of his dreams, Sasuke would lose him forever and take over the clan in his place.

But if things went horrid and Orochimaru came to claim his debt, the guilt would forever torment the youngest Uchiha for his foolish and unforgiveable error.

~o~

 _This is how humans travel, and not by foot._ Itachi's long hair whipped out freely behind him as he sat in the back seat on the opposite end of this dusted metal thing called a "car". The four circles - two in the front and two in the back - were called wheels, and they helped this car move around, but inside the system were gas and mechanisms, which worked the same way the body did with the internal organs and such, but whereas the body had a will of its own, this transport was controlled by a human hand at the wheel in the front.

He felt he wanted to learn more about this, to learn how to do this on his own, but he suspected he might not be able to in a week. But Itachi Uchiha was a fast learner at home, so he would do the same among the humans.

The black-haired female, Hinata, looked his way on occasion, smiling slightly. He chose not to judge her too harshly as he got blushing eyes back home. She seemed to be trying to keep her distance; he was quick to understand why. He had nothing to cover his now-human body, but she'd offered him a piece of cloth from her own body. He admitted he liked the shade of purple which reminded him of Tsunade-sama. _Sasuke...Sakura...Shisui..._

Suddenly, he didn't think he would miss home - especially those three - already. If anyone could keep Sasuke busy, it would be his betrothed.

Itachi had so far only thought that he was from overseas, a foreigner from these parts, but other than that, he wasn't sure how to earn their trust if he kept so much from them. _I need to learn more about the world, if it can help me build my cover story._ Yes, that was logical enough. And Minato...Namikaze? He heard the man was going to pull some strings and try to look for anyone related to Itachi, which made him worry. He didn't want any fingers pointed in that his family beneath the waters would be found. But to find no living people or any evidence there were? He didn't know what to expect.

Thankfully, no one pressured him into talking more about himself, but he did ask Minato. He wanted to know Naru as promised, but her father intrigued him as well...and the answer he received prompted him mixed reactions.

"Well, I used to be a police officer, but now I am a fisherman. To keep the long story short, my wife was pregnant with Naru here when she was...attacked by someone I thought was a friend, and he betrayed us all for something so insane that I had no choice but to hunt him down." He sighed and shook his head. His daughter said nothing. "Recently I found out he was the leader of competition of ours, known as _Red Dawn._ The ship went down in a strange storm not that many days ago, but we haven't found him yet."

 _He's...he's one of the enemies of our ocean...but he doesn't act like it. He hates all forms of harm._ Itachi stiffened then when the man mentioned the _Red Dawn._ Was he referring to the pierced man known as Pain...?

He went on to explain that he fished all kinds from the sea and the rivers, but whaling was prohibited on his ship, which the Uchiha silently thanked him for opposing. He was starting to like him more and more.

"Dad is great more than he gives himself credit for," Naru pointed out with a grin. Her compliment might have made her father fluster. Humans really got red to the face that easily. Somehow Itachi liked that trait as well, and he planned to think of ways to make her pink in the face more often. She didn't object either...

Hinata revealed herself to be the daughter of a powerful man who ran the fishing and shipping business, which involved the food caught and sold to others, but because times had been decreasing and many tries to get everything back on its toes, the ones who caught the marine life of each season had to keep it for themselves. Currency was the devil's advocate for the humans of this country.

These three barely knew him as he hardly knew them, but his desire to know more seemed to make both the woman of his dreams and her father happy.


	7. Blue Mist Spa

**Itachi is a fast learner in the human ways, but at the same time, I hope I am still keeping him in character. I'm positive I am, but there's a tiny part itching to make sure, you know?**

 **Anyway, enjoy. :)**

Chapter Seven

Blue Mist Spa

"Minato, Naru, did you two have fun?" Kushina called from the kitchen, and there was the sound of her footsteps. This sparked panic in Minato that he rounded on her and Itachi right away.

"Get him to your room," he whispered harshly, "and get him something from my closet quick!"

Naru nodded and grabbed Itachi by the wrist, pulling him in the direction of the staircase, Kurama leaping after them. Hinata let them keep her sarong, just for today. She planned to give it back next time. "You got to be quiet," she said to the guest. "Mom will have a fit if she sees you like this." He looked at her quizzically without a word. "She's easy to upset, and she will can both me and Dad if she catches a naked man in her house..."

Itachi nodded by the time they were both in her room. She could hear her parents talking, but she had to hurry. Her dad might have given her an excuse for their daughter to be in her room before coming back downstairs for lunch. Did he say they had a guest? _God, I can't imagine what he said exactly._ They arrived at her room in seconds. "Wait here, and I'll go get some clothes," Naru said, "and please don't touch anything in my room?" He frowned at her for a second before nodding in understanding.

She didn't usually go into her parents' room without a good reason, but she found a t-shirt with Konoha's logo and a pair of blue shorts patterned with koi fish. But when she went back into her room, Itachi sat with Hinata's wrap off from his waist and on the floor. Kurama sniffed at it before stepping back with a whimper and wriggling his nose.

Why did this guy have no shame being in his birthday suit in front of other people? "Itachi," Naru said, walking in and closing the door behind her in case Kushina heard by now, "here." He took them and stared for a second before standing, his hands dropping from his lap to give her a full view of his manhood. Her cheeks flared with heat just like that. Suddenly she couldn't take her eyes off of THAT...

 _Kami, he is_ big _._

Suddenly, there was a slam on the door in three harsh knocks. "NARU UZUMAKI, OPEN THIS DOOR NOW!" Shit, the she-devil had to arrive now. But thank the gods Itachi had the shorts on and buttoned in the front, just now pulling the shirt over his head. Naru quickly opened the door and let her mother come in. Minato was really flipping a bitch as he tried to calm his raging wife down.

"Kushina, please don't do this -"

Her eyes bulged then and there, her temper subsiding at the sight of the gorgeous man with the long black hair standing in the middle of her daughter's room. "Oh, my...you're Itachi?" Kushina rasped. "Oh, you're better looking than I thought." Her face turned red to match her hair, not caring her husband was right beside her.

"MOM!" Naru did not remember feeling so embarrassed in her life.

Even more when her mother went on ranting, going up to stand before him and looking him over, which seemed to make him uncomfortable. "Minato was telling me that you don't know what happened to your family, or whoever was with you. I can guess you're too traumatized to talk, so you're more than welcome to stay with us until we can get this fixed for you. Right, honey?" she asked him sweetly. He was still down in the face out of embarrassment.

"Y-yeah. I'll get right on it tomorrow, but today, I think it's best we just let him take it easy. Maybe I'll take him off to the spa for some guy time, and you and Naru do what you girls do best?"

~o~

Itachi had no idea what a "spa" was, but he was disappointed that he wouldn't spend the day with Naru like he wanted, except it wasn't his nature to turn anything down. He wanted her father on his good side, right? _I think I may like going to see what a spa is. It sounds like it might be pleasant, if he is to smile._

And this "guy time" Minato spoke of - was that a figure of speech that meant the fun he used to have with Shisui and Sasuke?

When he asked Minato in his car, leaving his wife and daughter at the house, the man looked surprised that he didn't know what it was, before his face relaxed. "Oh, you must not have a spa wherever you are from," he said easily. "But to keep it simple: it's a place to just strip down and relax, get your body pampered as well as your senses at ease. There's so much to take you to another place...and it's one of the spots where my old boss and teacher loves to sneak and peek in on women for his research material."

"Research material?" Itachi asked.

"He writes books on adventure and...romance. But the love is taken on a more physical level," Minato answered with a breathy chuckle. "Maybe I should let you read one sometime if you're interested." _I suppose I could. I wonder if there are more books, if they are for learning and other purposes, like scrolls._

On the way to the spa, Itachi took a look at his surroundings, at the people and the buildings. The structures were made out of wood; he gave the humans complimentary for their skills. Some had food on sale, others clothing and trinkets, and other things like machinery. _The humans have more than my people do._ But his heart sank as he might never tell Sasuke and Shisui about his experiences.

"The rest of the guys might be enough help for you, and they might even like you," Minato was still saying. "It's also where no ladies have to worry about seeing you besides us men...only if Jiraiya was with us, he would see you as his next material for male lead."

Itachi wasn't sure he understood what it meant to be around so many other males in a state of undress, but his people weren't ashamed of it. What was the worse that could happen?

"So, I never asked you - who do you have in your family? There's me, my wife Kushina, and of course Naru."

"...I have a younger brother who is the same age as Naru," Itachi answered after a moment's pause. "And a distant cousin who is also my best friend. Our father, is, shall we say...a good man but very strict. If we leave the compound to be on the outside without permission, it's severe punishment that you don't see many administer." It was best to give enough he could without saying everything. Minato looked interested but disturbed, and said nothing. He simply nodded without a word.

When they arrived, this structure looked like it was constructed from nature, but with a sharp rooftop aiming for the heavens. "We're here," Minato announced cheerily, turning off the engine. Standing at the entrance was a group of men who called out to him and waved.

"Hey, who's this new face?" a man with brown hair spiked a little atop the head and then flat on the sides asked, smirking.

"This is Itachi," Minato answered. "He is a new friend my daughter and I brought home today. We kinda...clicked." Itachi furrowed his brows. It sounded like he referred to the fact they'd already _connected._ His friends here seemed to buy it, but a couple looked at him with suspicious glances. One of them had something drifting smoke from his mouth that he took out and then puffed more.

"Itachi, huh? Is that it or do you have a last name?"

He wasn't sure if he would be able to say his family name, but it wasn't like they lived on the surface. He promised himself he would never do this to them. Would he endanger them if he said it...was it a risk he was willing to take...? And Minato was looking at him as if mentally scolding himself for not asking him for his surname. He must have forgotten. "Uchiha," he answered. "It's a long story how I came here, but I was washed ashore, and that's when Naru and Minato found me on the shore."

There was a murmuring at his name. "...Uchiha...that's interesting. I've never heard of that before. It sounds like it came from _uchiwa_ , meaning 'fan'."

Another made what sounded like a joke: "What can 'fan' be used for? Fan to the fires? I think it has a nice ring to it..."

"Come on, guys," Minato interrupted, laughing. "Can we go inside now? I'd like to introduce the new guy to the club."

Things had just gotten more interesting. Itachi was among human males, who laughed and teased him, making him feel welcomed. But he also knew he had to be careful with where he stepped, and he was not just talking about both his feet.

~o~

"Keep searching and leave no stone unturned!" Fugaku barked to the armed soldiers at command. Sasuke and Shisui were behind him, keeping straight faces. The Uchiha clan head was currently in the underwater spring, with steam rising and bubbling, and his wife was beside him. She was trying to keep smiling and hope that her son would be safe and sound...but his younger brother and cousin knew the truth.

The water his father and the surrounding members were in was dark blue with a lighter, fiery core. It wasn't made to be in for more than an hour, but they could tolerate it. But all were leaving now except Fugaku, because it seemed they were tired of hearing about Itachi being missing. _It will take a week before his fate is decided, and either way, he'll be presumed dead by Father._ Sasuke turned his back from the sight and from Shisui, feeling two eyes burning holes into his back.

He and Shisui had made it back in time to not be noticed, and an hour later, Fugaku had gone to his heir's room to give him another talk...only to find the room empty. He'd growled and bellowed for the guards to start searching the grounds. Itachi wasn't there, and then the orders went to search outside the compounds, even ask their neighbors and allies if they had seen him around. A cold chill ran up Sasuke's spine as he feared it would get back to Kisame Hoshigaki and that tongue-wagging Zetsu...

"Sasuke, if you're feeling guilty enough, why don't you go off and see Sakura? I heard she and her parents are coming today," Shisui told him, but there was nothing warm in those words. His cousin didn't hate him, but he wouldn't let him have peace over bringing his own brother into this mess. And when it had to be Orochimaru of all people.

 _I saw what it made Itachi feel...those things at the bottom of the cave, trapped...I'll hate myself for the rest of my life if Itachi ends up like that. Or if I can, I will fight that monster with all my might if I have to..._

 _I don't know what will happen in the end, but it would be worth trying to save my brother._ Except that meant breaking the hearts of his mother and Sakura.

He never had any regrets in his life, just that he hated being in second place because of his elder brother, but that had always been so with everyone. But he would NOT live with the guilt and pain forever gnawing his heart because of this disaster.

Later that day, with Fugaku still refusing to speak to anyone and confined on his throne - never allowing anyone to come to him unless it was extremely important - Sasuke chose to busy himself with a certain pink-haired, green-eyed mermaid who arrived with a beaming smile that did little to lighten him up. Her tail matched her hair, and the spikes up her back as well as the flaps on her hips and her tail fin were shimmering pale green which also reflected off her scales. Put her and Sasuke together, and you see a polar opposite of dark and light.

"Sasuke...I heard the guards whispering about your brother," she said softly, when they were away in his room. "You don't know what happened?"

He looked down, refusing to meet her gaze. He had never felt so conflicted about telling her the truth or lying - and finding middle ground was worse.

~o~

The spa was also called an onsen. As for how it functioned, he could see it with his eyes, that vivid blue light of the water reminding him of home, it was charged by volcanic core - the heat transferred into the waters - because the country of Japan was active with volcanoes as the ocean's depths could be.

Indoors, the men and women's baths and changing rooms were kept separate; parting the genders was called safety precautions as well as a sense of propriety. Itachi was learning everything with great speed, and it excited him endlessly. The faster he learned, he would be able to live with Naru and her people.

Itachi watched as the men stripped down - and he meant completely - and then made way inside the stations. He read the rules on the wall, on a scroll in a wooden frame, stating clearly that going into the spring waters dirty was unacceptable, and you had to clean yourself spotless first. To also go in with traces of cleaning supplies on your skin was equally unsanitary, because then you were at risk of infections and diseases. This made him frown, since his people never had such troubles besides difficulty regenerating in the flesh, scales, bones and so on. Their systems were more advanced than the humans.

His bodily functions had changed drastically, though his organs remained in place, from what he could tell, though a physician was the ultimate judge. He imagined the humans had health welfare. His bones registered thicker strain as he walked, and if he'd been struck by anything soft to hard, his flesh was all the more prone to sensitivity along with his bone structure and muscles. He wasn't sure he liked that part of being human.

He discovered these products called "shampoo" and "soap", the former being used in the hair, the latter for the entire body. He sat, like the others, on this thing called a stool, and he flinched when it pressed into his backside. Speaking of which, as he looked around the males, he saw the same thing just like the spot between his legs: every one of them had the length of meat, but he wondered if it had a name, like the organs in the body. There was also hair there, but each man had a different color like suited atop their heads. His own was raven black, and looking down at Minato, the man's was a darker gold than his waving shock-mane.

"Um...Itachi?" He looked up to see the other gazing at him curiously, cheeks dark pink. Itachi looked ahead and continued to wash his body with the soap bar, which smelled very sweetly of herbs and something else. To ease Minato's conscience and take off the awkward air, he asked what it was. The blond chuckled, picking up his own bar. "There's also lotus extract and citrus." _Lotus extract and...citrus?_ "You know, the white flower that grows in ponds, and a sweet but sour piece of fruit for antioxidants. Make your skin healthier."

Someone called over from the other end of the wall stations. "Was Itachi looking at your business, Minato?" It was none other than Asuma Sarutobi, who worked with Minato aboard his ship - actually, most of them did. The silver-haired man, Kakashi Hatake, was the first mate, and Asuma as well as his wife were among the crew.

"Oh, no, it was just an accident," Minato told his partner, standing up and wrapping a white fabric called a towel around his waist. Itachi stood up, following suit, and making way towards the sliding door that led out to the pool of crystalline water steaming within earthly rocks. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The moisture on his skin intensified and made him feel...was this tired? He hadn't even stepped in yet, and already he felt like this! Itachi made the first move, removing his towel from around his waist, folding it up and placing it on the bench against the wall, stepping into the water.

 _I have never felt such pleasure before._

The rest of the men to follow him were eyeing him with interest as they joined in. Another interesting part of the human body he noticed: on the rear end were two rounded parts of flesh, which happened to support as you sat upright. It was the same as having legs, arms, hands and feet, but the differences were each body structure and the area between the legs - the latter varied in length and coloring of the crowning hairs.

Minato seemed to catch his watchful eye and had a look that Itachi couldn't figure out, and it told him not to ask him with all his friends around.

~o~

Naru had to put up with her mother while her dad and Itachi were out there, because Kushina could not stop burning mad and passing out every now and then at seeing a smoking hot younger man in her house - and none of them really knew anything about him! "Mom, get it together!" she pleaded, helping the redhead onto the living room couch. "Okay, he's sexy, but that doesn't mean anything!" Kushina looked up at her in disbelief while Kurama barked once and then crawled up onto the loveseat to take his nap.

"Seriously, Naru? Maybe you should start looking at guys now," Kushina said excitedly. "I agree we don't know him, but maybe you can try to get to know him while he is with us. If your dad can't locate his relatives, he might have to live with us if he wants to."

 _Oh, God, Mom, now you're setting me up with a strange guy. You're trying to set me up_ period.

Kushina barked with laughter and collapsed on her back, laying along the length and putting her feet in the air. "I also think Dad likes him already, knowing Minato," she went on without shame, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Or do you plan to play hard to get just like I did...?" Naru just about growled in frustration at the same time the front door opened up and in walked her dad who had his lips in a tight, expressionless line that made her worried Itachi had done something...

The man in question came in right after her father, smiling lightly as if nothing was wrong, and it got wider when he saw her.

Her skin was on fire. Why was it that no guy made her feel like this before? It couldn't be LOVE at all; she'd just met him, for Kami's sake! _So he's all hot, mysterious and that..._

"It's good to see you again, Naru," he said, her name a mantra on his tongue, "Kushina." Her mother was such a blushing schoolgirl when she wasn't raving mad over the littlest of things. Minato just rolled his eyes and snickered, but it became serious. Naru wanted to know what happened at the spa, but her father looked like he was too embarrassed to bring it up. She decided to talk to Itachi alone - and luck was on her side when her parents told her to entertain their guest in her room for awhile, but NOT in a dirty way.

 _Damn it, you guys embarrass ME more than you do to each other._ But Itachi looked at her with a twinkle in his dark eyes. It wasn't the same as those bastards in _Red Dawn,_ but it still made her uncomfortable.

 **Call me a perv if you want, but Itachi studying the male anatomy in the onsen made me blush and thrill. Though it was purely curiosity and interest on his part, and poor Minato. Who knows if Itachi will get to live it down.**


	8. Whispers of a Merman

**I would have done this on time and put it up for Naruto's birthday, but life and doing a couple other works. What I thought would make Itachi's time as a human worth it, besides falling in love, and that would be finding a purpose to live on the surface.**

 **This piece by Derek Fiechter was originally titled "Whispers of a Mermaid".**

Chapter Eight

Whispers of a Merman

It seemed that his fascination with the male human body sparked embarrassment in Minato when he caught Itachi's eye, but when they were in the car and leaving his friends after enjoying the heaven, Itachi didn't know how to react other than confusion.

"Itachi, if anyone else caught you - especially Asuma and Gai - they would assume you were gay."

"G-gay?" Itachi repeated, confused. He had never heard of that term at home. "I'm not familiar with the phrase. What does it mean?" His innocent question served to increase the man's flush.

Minato took a few breaths behind the wheel as he started the car. "Well, basically...it means you like guys more than girls. Kind of like the way I love Kushina. But while it's acceptable between the two people who care about each other, there are those who don't accept it because of religious beliefs. To those people it's taboo, but it's slowly becoming more...normal. Except to be open about it will make them have the wrong idea."

The long-haired man took a moment to analyze what he'd heard with extreme care. So this..."gay" meant male-and-male or even female-and-female relations, but half the population called it disgusting. It made him think about home and how same-sex pairs were forbidden and punishable by execution. Just even his own glances at the male body for a long period of time - and with many men around him - he could have been given the wrong idea about his intentions, and he wasn't sure he could risk that. "I'm not," he said to Minato, looking down at his lap. "I never thought things would be so different here."

Minato nodded. "I recommend learning fast and being discreet, if I were you," he said.

"But this word sounds like another phrase used at home," Itachi said. "The punishment is harsh, and it's a means that goes back to the oldest times for people like you...described." The man cringed as he had an idea what was implied if it was a very old method.

"In that case," the blond said after a moment's pause, "you might feel a bit better to know that doesn't happen here."

 _No one kills a same-sex lover because of religion and bad blood. But to be safe, you have to hide that part of yourself._ But it wasn't like he was turning into that. His sole interest was Naru, but something told him that if he so much as mentioned that to her father, the man would lose respect for him since it was only the first day. He didn't say another word to Itachi even when they got back to the house. This worried him; did he lose hope of having this man admire him?

Minato went into the house before him, unable to look at him anymore, but when he saw the woman in his thoughts, Itachi smiled at her as well as the murderous blush of her skin. "It's good to see you again, Naru, Kushina," he said. He wasn't sure why her mother was the one who made the effects he had on them both blatant, but her husband stepped in before it went too far.

"Naru, maybe you should take our guest up to your room and entertain him while I deal with your mother." To see her like this never failed to amuse him. But little did he know...

"What did you do?" she asked when they reached her room. He found himself enjoying the soft pale tones of the beach in her bedspread and the cream-colored walls, and the bamboo furniture pieces. She sounded irritated, quite unlike the flushed, stricken female who fell to her knees. _Interesting. I wonder how Naru will fare against me like Sasuke would..._

No person - both of his kind or even hers - was one-dimensional, so he wanted to see her steelier streak directed towards him, like when she gave the man Pain and his crew. "You are referring to the fact your father is burning in the flesh as you are right now," he stated with a chuckle, sitting down on the edge of her bed. He had to admit he did like the way humans made their sleeping spots. This was soft, but perhaps not the same as his own. "It was a mild misunderstanding regarding a certain phrase. To be surrounded by so many men in the flesh..."

Her eyes bulged at the image conjured up before she sputtered and ushered him to stop talking. "That's not something you should talk about so lightly."

"And where I am from, being in your skin is natural," Itachi said, "but I did learn from your father that it's...best kept private."

She exhaled with relief and nodded, shoulders slumping. "Itachi..." To hear her say his name made his spine tingle, and it was a pleasant sensation. "...you're one of the strangest men I've met." Itachi furrowed his brows. Strange as in...good or bad?

"Do you have a last name?" she asked. "I told you mine was Uzumaki, but my father's is Namikaze. We're different from other families like that, and my mother takes pride keeping her maiden name, and it sounded like it fit me better than Dad's." _Naru Namikaze...Naru Uzumaki...either sounds befitting, but I suppose it's your choice rather than mine._

"Itachi Uchiha is my complete name," he said finally with a short nod.

Naru smiled lightly and sat down beside him. "Nice to meet you officially then, Itachi Uchiha." She extended her right hand to him, the action surprising and confusing him. "It's just a handshake. People do this when they meet for the first time," she explained. Laughing, Itachi found he liked this gesture - and his skin tingled when he took her smaller hand into his. His blood warmed twice as before.

 _Is this how humans feel when they meet that other half of themselves?_ He didn't know if human feelings worked the same way as his kind did, but the instant connection, arranged or not, was a matter of soul recognition as it was destined. But without further examination amongst the merpeople and due to the almost nonexistent contact with humans, the _ningyo_ had no idea if human love was as powerful and eternally living.

Itachi already saw Naru's parents without trying too hard; a look into the eyes was enough for him. But himself? He was determined to get her to look at him that way.

"What else can you tell me about yourself?"

"I'll take my time telling you enough as possible," he told her carefully, turning his body halfway to face her. "Life at home was much harsher, bordering on old ways that this day and age doesn't live on anymore. I have a younger brother the same age as you, and a cousin I considered the greatest friend out of any other I knew..."

~o~

For the next hour or two, they sat on her bed and regaled in stories of each other. But while Naru told him everything about herself - her personal interests, her career and schooling, her parents' love for her and for each other - he told her enough of himself if not everything. In fact, for one in terms of where he came from, he still went no further than "across the sea". He was obviously native like herself, but what else could he mean by what he said...?

Her dad kept his word in beginning the search for his family or anything beneath the ocean if he ended up on the beach where he was found. She didn't know anything more about him, but why wouldn't he tell her more about himself? She then remembered that both her parents and Jiraiya once reminded her that you could never force someone to reveal everything about themselves too soon, lest the fire would burn so soon and ruin chances of a long-lasting friendship or even a relationship.

This man really had an effect on her she never thought she'd experience. It was only the first day, and he already had such a hold over her.

Why couldn't he stop looking at her the way he was? He hadn't yet tried anything funny, but the fact he seemed to enjoy being naked? She did not know how to feel about this. But was it the same thing as trying to do something she wouldn't like?

"Um...Itachi?" Naru uttered when he slid closer to her, his body nearly touching her. "Why do you insist on being so...close like this?"

"What's the matter with it?" he queried innocently, his eyes blinking a couple times. "I have seen how close a...person can be." She didn't miss how he paused before using the word "person", as if he'd been close to using another before changing his mind.

Naru swallowed as she looked over the face that made her stir. That face...those eyes...the long hair falling over his shoulders. "I...barely know you. And you take everything so lightly like it's nothing."

"But everything humans do is natural," he told her. "Just like...falling in love is natural." Naru felt like her heart stopped altogether, and the redness in her flesh and blood reached optimum level. _Okay, okay, this is going a bit too far!_

"Itachi, if you really...find me that interesting, can you please keep a bit of a distance like this?"

His face fell, but he obeyed and slid away from her, keeping a little under a foot from her. His feelings may have been hurt, and for a moment, she twinged with guilt. But seriously, if he had his attention on her that much...was it just because she saved him from the beach? This was a little worrying on her part. One serious lesson was to never fall for someone just because you rescued them, and vice versa.

Suddenly, the realization dawned on her when she recognized that look in his eyes. It scared her so much, but it also excited her since no guy ever approached her like this. _But why...why did it have to happen this way? What am I supposed to do now?_

~o~

What was he doing wrong? He hadn't done anything of the sort, but he learned his lessons regarding looking at nude bodies for a long period of time. From now on, he would look but only for a second - and the only one's he would see in due time would be Naru's. Which would be far more challenging than he expected. Humans really lived on time, and their lifespans were shorter than merfolk.

 _If only I had more time than a week. This is going to require all the fight I must._ He was determined to make it happen no matter what he had to do. He wanted to learn more about humanity and enjoy it at the same time - but if the deep seas had predators, then human life had its figurative share.

Given he would stay here at the Namikaze-Uzumaki residence, he didn't know where he would sleep, as humans retired this way when darkness fell. He ended up sharing Naru's room since Kushina insisted that him sleeping on the couch alone was unacceptable - as long as he tried nothing funny. Funny meant inappropriate touches that her daughter didn't like. This bothered him greatly; if humans who greatly loved each other could touch, why was it considered unwanted by some?

"It...it's not that I hate it," she told him when he asked her that night. "But I want to get to know you before I think about letting hands on me. I don't know why I got your attention so much."

Itachi had never felt so hurt by those words. She admitted, in a sense, that she liked him - but she wanted to get to know him first. Hope wasn't lost, and it made him smile. He could not yet tell her his reasons why, but he settled on: "I honestly don't know either...but I have never met anyone like you, Naru." He was sliding into the cot when he told her this. He lay at the foot of the bed, and Kurama the fox took pleasure in jumping onto him, crushing his abdomen and knocking out his breath, before getting onto the mattress with his mistress.

Naru laughed when she looked down at him, having emerged from the small door that led to what he learned was the bathroom - where humans cleaned and did certain natural private business. He had to discreetly find that out after discovering a tightness in his body the hard way. It was something that Naru noticed herself and pointed this out to him, embarrassed. There was a bit of an...incident that the both of them swore to never repeat, and bless the gods that her parents didn't find out.

"Kurama enjoys giving new people hell when he first meets them," she told him, sliding onto her bed, wearing a light blue dress that reached her ankles and was short of the sleeves. What he found quite adorable was the manner her long hair was held up behind her head. "You're gonna have a challenge in getting him to like you besides him catching your scent on the rock."

He chuckled and laid back after readjusting himself, pulling the blankets over himself. It felt like laying on the hard coral, but with this soft substitute of a mattress. Beneath his head was a _pillow_ ; it wasn't hard for him to figure out what it was since the inside of his own bed was textured very similarly. He discovered humans didn't sleep in their day clothes, but they had lighter fabrics called "night clothes". His was a pair of shorts which somewhat rode up into his...the area between his legs. It was a little uncomfortable, but he pulled it away from that area - or rather, he slipped the fabric off just as the light was turned off. "Good night, Itachi," Naru told him, then said the same to the fox who whimpered in response.

 _This is also the same as home._ "Good night, Naru."

Sleep on land was...a breath of fresh air? He couldn't explain how he felt, but how utterly blissful it was. To sleep in warmth, close to the woman of his longing, and then to wake up with the sun shining through the window. Itachi smiled with content. His bones disagreed with his mind altogether as he relaxed in his sleeping position. He wondered what time it was, but he assessed it was still in early morning, if later than dawn. Humans kept track of time, and he wanted to know how. Merfolk's brains never went into the term "overdrive". Itachi Uchiha was never called a genius for nothing, but without Shisui, he never would find himself actually experiencing human life. _And you, too, Sasuke._

He hoped his brother and cousin were all right.

Itachi couldn't go back to sleep, but he settled on laying for a few more minutes before he decided that he'd laid enough. Stretching his body, he found his discarded shorts and pulled them on before standing up and turning to see Naru laying on her stomach, her face in the opposite direction, and Kurama the fox curled into a ball beside her. To watch her continuing to sleep took him back to the day he brought her to the shoreline for safety...

Itachi pushed the stray sunlit locks away from her face so her soft cheek was exposed, and he placed a kiss there. She was so smooth and indescribably sweet. "I love you," he whispered in her ear. To his surprise, she smiled. His heart leapt with joy.

~o~

Hinata asked her to meet her at Ichiraku's, which made Naru happy beyond relief. Because she was planning to take Itachi with her. "Good-bye for now, Kurama boy," she said to the fox, leaning down to kiss him on the head. He wagged his tail and whimpered, unhappy she was going out for the day. Her parents would also have it all to themselves, but tomorrow she and Kushina would head back out to work.

She woke around nine when she heard the sound of the water running, telling her Itachi was showering in her bathroom. Kurama woke up and turned his gaze in that direction. At least she wouldn't get to see him naked this time...though she wasn't able to stop thinking about his body like that. _Damn it, now I want to see him like that again. I thought I would wait until I was married to see my husband, but out of the blue, he shamelessly walks the way he does. He doesn't know what he's doing, but he learned things are different here, and he - I don't know what he's doing to me._

Naru decided she couldn't hate him, couldn't be irritated with him - but he was too deep under her skin after only a day of meeting him.

Itachi exited through the door, thankfully dressed back in the t-shirt and shorts from the previous night, drying off his long hair as he left. Seeing her sit up and watch him, he smiled at her, clearly happy to see her awake. Naru felt herself smile back, a strange warm feeling coming over her. Itachi...he was laid back just like she was, not afraid of anything. She only just figured that out. "Good morning," she said, slipping out of the bed and past him to take her shower. Nothing but the rejuvenation and refreshing smell of the sea on her skin - and for others. _I think Itachi might like it..._

She realized she forgot to pick an outfit for the day, but just as she was finished and coming out, towel wrapped around her, she spotted Itachi sitting on the bed beside a sleeveless denim dress with straps of golden rope. Something inside her snapped. "Did you just go through my closet?!"

"No, I just simply spotted this -" _It was the first thing he saw._ "- and thought I could help you out. It's...lovely," Itachi said, giving her the eyes, then looked her up and down in her current state. He'd just...he called her _lovely!_

"Well, thank you," Naru said, picking up the dress and holding it close. He continued to look at her like he _expected her to drop the towel in front of him._ "Can you please not look at me while I put this on?" He shifted, turning his head in the other direction. He seemed almost disappointed. It wasn't anywhere near perverted, again. Naru was also kind of...self-conscious despite being aware there was nothing wrong with herself. Her mom boosted her confidence, Hinata had a similar structure as herself, and she did get praises every now and then from her guy friends.

This dress was one of the few she rarely wore, and Mom had helped pick it out in high school. For some reason, it still fit. It stunned her that Itachi knew this would be perfect for her. It snugged her just right without tightening her curves painfully. Her breasts were held up with the right amount shown. She pulled her hair back into a low ponytail - and that was when an idea came up when she looked at Itachi through the small mirror over the oak vanity. "Itachi, I got something for you," she said, picking up one of her hair ties.

"What is that for?" he questioned curiously, then looked at the way she had her hair pulled behind her head, getting the idea.

"You definitely need it," Naru said, laughing. "Women have the choice to let their hair run wild or like I have it now - but I don't think you could last that long." His dark eyes flashed as if mildly insulted. "Sit on the bed." He did, and she picked up her brush to sit behind him, taking in the long mane of midnight hair, thrilled at how SILKY it was, though still damp. How on earth did he have such soft hair? Hinata had this, she knew she did in a way, but Itachi's was just...out of the world. She wanted to run her fingers through it all day...

Itachi leaned his head back in her direction as if he enjoyed her touch. She froze. This was...why was she so uncomfortable but also wanted this? _I think Mom is really getting to me._ Her body was starting to tingle the longer she sat here with this strange but attractive man. And thankfully, she was done in time, and the sight of the long, glossy dark hair in a ponytail made her throat tighten so much she couldn't swallow. He found that he liked it, too, when he looked at himself in the mirror.

Naru chose to distract herself by putting her earrings in; they were gold and intricately sculpted into roses with leaves. Then she reached for the opaque blue perfume bottle and sprayed herself with her favorite scent - which drew Itachi's attention that she didn't notice he was so close behind her until she heard him sniff, and felt the shiver on her skin due to his breath. "Mmmm...I smell the ocean," he rumbled, making her shiver now. The front of his body pressed against her back as he brought the tip of his nose deeper in hopes of getting more of her scent. "What else is there, Naru? I smell something sweet I can't identify." Behind them, Kurama growled from his position on the foot of the bed as he watched. If the guest tried anything on his mistress, the fox would bite him on the ass.

"There is also woods and different fruits." His smile grew wider.

"You're extremely lovely as you look and smell in one." With all these compliments, she was going to pass out if they did not get the hell out of this room and go to the kitchen.

Before she left with Itachi, breakfast was made, and who could resist Kushina's eggs and rice? She watched him closely as he eyed the way her mother set the temperature on the stove, like he wanted to learn how she did it, without directly asking her. "This is marvelous, Kushina," he said by the end of the meal, bringing out the face-matching-her-hair look again.

It was then that her father announced that he couldn't find Itachi's family or anyone across the ocean, as he put it. "Well, it's still early, but what we have so far - it's odd," Minato said with a frown. "I believed you when you said it, but it's odd that there's nothing out there. We found the _Red Dawn_ at the bottom of the sea in less than a few days, but I don't quite understand how this happened to you..." _Whatever boat Itachi was on, whoever his family and friends were, they haven't been found yet. But Dad said it was still too early...but there may be a chance there won't be anything. Bodies lost at sea either take years to be found, or maybe never. What will Itachi do if...?_

Kushina hummed and sipped her tea after joining them. "What does this mean for him now, Minato?" she asked her husband. He shrugged.

"If it won't be a problem for you, Kushina-kun," he purred, leaning over and pecking her on the cheek, "and for Itachi -" He cast a wink to the man mentioned. "- he can stay with us for the time being. And if Naru won't object, he can share a room with her."

 _Oh, God, Dad, you're really not like any other father in existence. That means I...got this gorgeous but odd guy in my room for who knows how long._ Itachi appeared to be happy at this news, but it made her wonder why he didn't look concerned about finding those people...

This was getting so unnerving. But for some reason, she didn't want him to go. She may have gotten TOO comfortable with him. She liked being around people, meeting new people, and this one was so different from the others. And what added to it was he made her feel a way she didn't remember feeling in her life...

Was she falling head over heels for him and was afraid to admit it?

~o~

He spent the entire day with Naru. It was one of the best of his life. She took him, by foot, to meet with Hinata down at this adorable wooden stand called Ichiraku's and introduced him to one of her favorite foods - or should he say, the only one she loved more than anything else?

"Dad and Pervy Sage got me into this," she told him, slurping down which made him chuckle. He thought it rather...unladylike compared to the polite manner he watched Hinata enjoy hers. He found himself seated between the two women. This dish was made of curling noodles, pieces of pork and fish, and it was utterly divine. These new foods composed of the different recipes from the sea. Life had its ways of balancing survival on both sides.

This "Pervy Sage" she referred to was a man called Jiraiya, the man who was once the somewhat father of Minato, raised him and made him into the man he was today. This included the tale involving Pain. "I would love to meet Pervy Sage sometime," Itachi said, the nickname that she and her mother used making her laugh so hard her face turned red.

"I'd rather call him that. You just call him Jiraiya. He can handle both me and Mom, but no more." Itachi chuckled and chose to listen to her - though it would have been amusing to see the man's face. _The white-haired old man...it has to be him. I wonder if he would like me as do Minato and Naru._

He enjoyed the food Kushina made, but the noodles he savored which Naru loved so much were a new favorite of his. If only he could tell Shisui and Sasuke - _why did everything have to be the way it is now?_ He had no doubt Shisui would go off on a rampage with this, and Sasuke would smirk and state how their father - all of their society except a select few - had been so wrong about this.

Hinata was the eldest daughter of the man in charge of the fishing industry, which meant he oversaw how things ran with catching their food from the sea, rivers and those raised on farms; the last one was a land area where food was grown by hand, and animals raised in the facility. But because of issues like overfishing - taking too many in season or outside, even at the young stage, and this was something Shisui hated personally - as well as this global warming meant abnormal changes in climate. He wasn't a stranger to the latter. Even if he didn't know what the term meant, the effects were familiar.

What disturbed him was that her father considered her too kind to run the business, whereas her younger sister was more than capable, as was her cousin who was called Neji. Somehow it made him think about her and Sasuke in terms of recognition, roles reversed.

 _Sasuke wouldn't say she's weak. He would see in her what Naru does._

Thinking about his brother made him think that if he never came home, Sasuke would have his chance to rise up. He would do everything in name of his brother. He would make his path and change things within their clan. Shisui could take care of himself just fine. But their mother would weep in grief at losing a son. Fugaku would only mourn him simply because he lost his precious heir. Itachi tried telling himself he didn't hate his father, but he hated how the man abided by rules instead of seeing what was really in front of him. These two amazing human females on either side of him were living proof.

"There is a party going on, hosted by my father in three days," Hinata said then and there, finishing her bowl and pushing it in front of her. "If you wish to come, bring Itachi with you..." She looked at him with a small smile as she asked him. He had only a moment to think this over. Three days...it would be two days before the final day for him. He had time before then to win Naru over. This event sounded important, but he had to know. Unfortunately, Naru spoke before he could ask.

"I don't have a new dress, Hinata-chan," she told her friend sadly. "The last one ended up in tatters because of the fight with that bastard from Kumo who intruded the last Hyuuga fundraiser, remember?" She looked at Itachi, who was confused at what had transpired at this unknown experience to him. "It happened last year when her family had a party to raise money, so it could keep the business going in order to help us all."

Itachi smiled. _Human charity..._ "If you want me to go with you, how can I say no?" he answered kindly, then looked at Hinata when she smiled at him.

But Naru's eyes widened by a fraction. "Itachi, if you go, you'll need my dad's help to find something to wear. Hinata, how about we go after I help him find some things for himself?"

By things, she meant clothes for himself, his own products to clean himself, and a few other small things he might like. He was excited, to say the least. The shops that followed after the delicious food, he got to check out the coverings of the human body. He was introduced to pieces like t-shirts, jeans, shorts and stretching material like spandex; it was a great variety. He didn't even know where to start...

"You don't know what you want," Naru noted when she caught his eye. She giggled, running a hand through her ponytail. It made him think of the same way his hair had been tied. All his life he let it roam free underwater, but now on dry land, it could get tangled and hard to keep smooth and soft, so he appreciated her doing this for him. _Her touch as she combed my hair...it was so tender and kind. Next time I will return the favor._

The search must have taken hours, but Hinata had said it was an hour, and the young man named Arashi who worked in the shop - and had a taste in art and style - had played a hand in seeing what was best for Itachi based on his structure. Taking a look at himself in the mirror, he felt like he was among the clouds. His first set of clothes picked composed of a crisp, airy white collared shirt opened down by a few buttons to show some of his sculpted chest, and the dark blue jeans fit at his waist and hugged his legs without painful constriction. "You look like a sexpot," Arashi noted with a faint tinge of pink which appeared on Naru and Hinata's faces, but the girls turned darker bordering on rose.

Frowning a little, Itachi wondered what a sexpot was, but the more he looked at himself, the clearer the meaning. _They find me attractive. I can see it. It also means Naru might have a chance to love me._

The next set of clothing he put on was a black t-shirt and khaki shorts. The shorts were a different color and fabric than the jeans were; they reminded him of the beach sands. The shirt showing off his muscles was his color, which made him smile. He was also given a red one as well as a red collar shirt, a black one, and jeans darker than the previous pair. What amused him as well, he was given black swimming trunks patterned with red dragons. Naru was...what was the word? She was spoiling him too much, but Hinata was also paying for half of it since her job position meant more money than her best friend. He could understand this since - with the exception of man-made currency as payment - things under the sea functioned by trade. To gain one thing, you had to give something else.

Clothes done, Naru was the one to bring him to the jewelry shop which was for both men and women. Women were the ones who somehow needed it more than men, because often they were seen rather than heard. The man's job was dominating, both for his loved ones and for himself, having gone back to the dawn of time. He noted not many men wore jewelry, and anything that sparkled too much was out of the question. If he didn't want to stand out, then he would follow suit.

Leather, silver, and dark gemstones and such seemed fitting enough. "Oh, God, I think this is you," Naru gasped, picking up a ring that appeared to be bronze, intricately engraved on the sides. In the center was a sculpted black gemstone called onyx, and it matched his eyes and hair perfect. It was the best comparison he could think of.

"The making of this bad boy goes back to the story of King Arthur," the man told him with a broad grin. "Said to represent all he and his Knights stood for: courage, honor, loyalty and duty."

 _Just as our people are made for._ Smiling back, Itachi decided this was perfect, but as for which finger, he knew the middle finger felt uncomfortable and unattractive. His forefinger? The latter word. But his right ring finger was the final trick. The vein in that digit made a nerve jolt.

Hinata held up a bracelet made of the sturdy dark fabric called leather, accented with silver clasps. "It symbolizes a bond that can NEVER be broken," the seller said proudly, and in a sense, it made him feel the same. _A bond that can never be broken..._

"Finally -" Naru was the one to pick up what was recommended, since not every man could pull it off, she said. "- this is definitely the finishing touch." It was a necklace of silver, with three rings in the front, and it nearly touched the base of his throat. Touching it, he felt a sense of fulfillment.

The man he looked at was not the old version of himself. His hair in a low ponytail, his body covered with a dark t-shirt and shorts, and now he wore the new necklace, bracelet and ring. He looked... _truly human._

"Oh, my, I have to get home," Hinata announced with wide eyes. "Father expects me to be home to help him and Hanabi. But...I wish I could go with you guys to the tea shop."

"When we are done, I'll bring you guys something," Naru offered.

Itachi wondered what could be so fantastic about "sweets", since below the sea, there was notably salt and either hard or soft. But when he found himself at the cute little shop with her, he smiled at the exquisite aroma that reached his nostrils. Naru explained that these desserts paired off with their popular green tea was to die for. One of them was a treat called ice cream - ice sounded extremely cold, like the dropping of the ocean temperature - flavored like green tea, and so were a couple others. He wanted to try all of them today, but Naru insisted they not go too crazy lest their appetite for dinner be spoiled. "Plus, I need to save money to get me a new dress for the Hyuuga's charity," she said, "but I know a few you might love as a start. They're personal of mine as well."

As he never expected, his new taste now included something sweet. He wanted to go all-out sweet now that he wanted more. Naru also had what was called a "sweet tooth". "But you can't eat it all the time, if you want to keep your teeth clean and white," she told him jokingly. By this time, they were enjoying _hakuto_ jelly, which was made of peaches and spring water. He hummed in delight at the soft texture and sweetness which made him think of Naru's scent.

"This is our family's favorite besides the green tea ice cream," she said, holding up the folded menu of three or four balls which made Itachi's mouth water. "And yeah, they have green tea flavor in these guys, too."

This dessert was called _dango,_ which was skewered sweet rice balls on a stick. One had three colors - first pink-colored, then white and finally green - and another white dipped in soy sauce. He chose the tri-colored and fell in love so badly he wanted more. Then Naru surprised him and said they were taking a box home for dessert, and keeping it to themselves. He thought it rather sneaky and rude since her parents could want their share, but she laughed it off.

"What Mom won't know won't hurt her. It's not a real crime like stealing. Besides, I'm a grown woman who can make her own choices." Her eyes twinkled. "Later you and I are having these, and tomorrow as well."

She paid for the extra box, and then asked for the white balls in soy sauce, called _mitarashi_ , to bring to Hinata and her family. "There are two kinds of the tri-colored," she told him as they left the tea shop. "This one we just had is the _bocchan_. There is also the _hanami,_ which is reserved mainly for springtime when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. It's a wonderful time of year so we can enjoy what time we have in the world."

Itachi moaned softly at his stomach's satisfaction to the marvelous foods he had today. He couldn't tell what he loved and what he hated at the moment. This woman had done so much for him that he wished he could give it back to her somehow...

He turned to her, faced her full-front, and leaned down to gently peck her on the cheek like he saw her parents give each other. The action stunned her as much as his thanks and the question. He whispered it against her ear like the softest wind.

"Naru...how can I make you happy in return?"

 **Itachi has fun shopping and learning how to be human, including getting something to make him cool - including the Gallantry Ring inspired by King Arthur, the No Strings bracelet (both are found on Stauer), and the necklace we know him for. :D Little things like that make as much a huge difference.**

 **I had sushi for the first time and loved it more than I thought I would. My grandmother isn't fond of raw fish, but I believe I could live off it all day anytime. XD I really want to try dango and those other desserts mentioned in the future. If not made by Japanese hand, I want to learn to make it myself if I can acquire the right ingredients.**


	9. Moonlight Bay

**So I completed a few fics and added a new chapter to another, now I do the same here. :) Except it took so much thinking as to how to bring to life what was left off in the previous chapter.**

 **This was hard to do, in terms of figuring out who was behind the latest mess for the environment. I'm not an environmentalist, so I only went based on instinct and what was simply right.**

Chapter Nine

Moonlight Bay

Naru gulped as she looked up into his dark pools which contrasted with her bright blues. Somehow if you would put them together, it would resemble an ocean: the vivid blue surface descending into a bottomless darkness. Drowning, then dying. His question was not what she ever expected to hear.

"H-how -?" Why could she not form a sentence, and the fact he just _kissed_ her gently on the cheek?! "Itachi, you're a little..."

"A little what?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "There is nothing strange about me. You've just done so much for me today and yesterday, so it is only fair that I wish to give you something back."

Could the temperature have risen so uncomfortably high? "We're still...strangers," she said, holding the boxes of dango closer to her being. "I don't even know if I can ask anything from you. It's too much." His smile seemed to be permanent, but it only changed when he was doubtful or analyzing someone, like right now.

Itachi stepped back by only a few inches. "It's never too much if you know it is the right thing to do. Naru, you say this because you are...scared of me." His statement took her off-guard altogether that she really nearly DID drop the desserts, but she regained herself with his help, and that resulted in him being too close against her body again. "You don't know if you wish to become a little closer to me as long as I am staying with you and your parents, but I think that, deep down, you do." He leaned in then, but not enough to touch her nose.

"You don't have to be so wary of me, Naru-kun."

 _He's hurt. He doesn't even know me, but he wants to do this for me. It's as if...he really wants to be a part of my life and isn't afraid to hint it._ It was so scary, but it also made her feel...happy. She really _never_ met a guy who boldly acknowledged her like this. _If Mom heard this, she would push and push me until I give in, but I don't know about Dad. I think he likes him, but the fact he's looking into where any members of Itachi's family is, there is a chance Itachi could leave us. Should I risk letting any emotion get the best of me over someone who is a complete stranger?_

 _ **A totally hot and sweet complete stranger,**_ the darker part of herself leered shamelessly, making her blood simmer. A long moment passed before she finally spoke. "I...I'm sorry for treating you like this. I really love people, but I feel like...it's just happening so fast and I don't know how to explain."

The sun was just beginning to lower, the sky getting darker. They really needed to get back to the house. Itachi didn't probe her over it again, but she was sure he was keeping his yap closed for the time being. "What do you want to do when we get back to the house?" she offered, changing the topic. "We could have the treats here -" She lifted the boxes in her arms. _Except bring Hinata hers._ "- and enjoy some great movies. I don't know what you love..."

"What's a movie?"

Naru blinked. Did she just...hear right? "You don't know what a _movie_ is?" she asked with dismay. He shook his head. _Unbelievable! They must not have media and entertainment, wherever he's from._ "Well, I'll show you when we get home," she told him, choosing to return the favor by leaning up and kissing him back on his cheek. Now it was his turn to blush.

From the corner of her eye, she watched him lift his hand to touch the spot where her lips touched his skin.

~o~

 _What's a movie?_

He learned the answer as soon as they returned to the house. Minato and Kushina were in their room, leaving him and Naru alone to each other in the living room. There were these interesting items which opened to show a round, mirror-like disc that she popped into a machinery called a DVD player, and the television screen flickered to show different pictures moving as if they were him and the girl beside him. Just like life.

But none of it was real, she said. It was an illusion created by hand, but the actions and words were brought to life by real people in them. She explained that actors portrayed the story, but there were other people known as screenwriters who wrote the story, the producer planned everything accordingly, and the director did as he or she was named: told what each person should do or not, and how to do it. Itachi was drawn into this world of the imagination. Humans really had more methods to tell stories.

He also learned that you had to keep quiet while watching, so you didn't miss a thing and to ensure any other people watching couldn't miss anything.

"This here is an American classic," Naru said, pulling up a movie called _Splash,_ which showed a young woman with long blonde hair laying on her side, her legs slowly transforming into a fish tail - _a mermaid._ His eyes lit up. He knew he wanted to see this. This seemed to make Naru happy as well. "Oh, you might love it. Although let's say it was also the movie that gave Pervy Sage a nosebleed." He would learn why when he reached the mermaid on land, legs and body dry, and every aspect of her body shown, but sensitive parts covered by her long hair. This taught Itachi as final confirmation that humans didn't allow public exposure.

All in all, he found himself somehow related to and drawn to the mermaid, whom the "leading man" named Madison, when she fell in love with a human and did everything she could to make him happy, be with him - but a treacherous human revealed her true form and got the happy couple both into trouble, forcing them to run away into the ocean where they could be together forever.

Happy as it rendered Itachi, it also made him fear what could happen to him if anyone were to find out the truth about _what he really was_. Would they separate him from the woman he loved, or do something worse to them both...?

He tried not to worry about this, because how would anyone find out? Nobody from the sea would even dare to tell a human - but what about that damned Orochimaru? He'd made the bargain of his life, and here he was beside _her_ , enjoying her company. It was everything he could have asked for: simple, sweet, and worth it all. He didn't want to lose this...

...and why was it so much more than just swimming about, following other mammals into the deep, hunting the catch of the season, or just simply being within the compound out of fear of the humans? Why wasn't he born completely human instead of made into one?

Itachi didn't know if he was treading deep and sacrilegious territory with this train of thought.

By the time the movie was over, he picked up a new stick of tri-colored dango. He loved sweets so much, but he'd also been warned that too much made your teeth rotten - unless you took care of it. He'd seen Naru use a toothbrush and toothpaste as well as how much and HOW to use it. Minato even let him have one of his own. "The lore of mermaid in here..." he mused as the credits were rolling, showing the people playing the characters as well as all those who worked behind the scenes. "...is different than the stories of my people."

Naru looked at him with piqued interest. "Really, what are the mermaid stories where you're from?"

"The same monstrous-looking creatures do reside, but there are also the kind that are like _she_ is," he answered, holding up the DVD case. "But very few. What you may not have heard were that there have been a scant few number of the beautiful, near-humanistic _ningyo_ that resided in the waters surrounding us. They descended from those that came from American waters and Caribbean, and that is why they hid themselves better than the others."

"Oh?" She shifted so her entire body faced him, eyes widened with stunned surprise. "I never would have expected to hear that for real. I thought that was only spoken words and not in the _Nihon Shoki_ \- the oldest textbook. I saw -" She stopped herself then and there, swallowing visibly. Something inside Itachi fluttered, knowing what she was going to say.

"What is it?" he asked, leaning forward. "What did you see?"

Naru gulped and shook her head. "I doubt you'll believe me, but it has to do with what you're telling me. A few days ago, I was out on a boat with Hinata and other friends of ours, having some fun, but then our drinks got spiked behind our backs, and I was taken to be used to catch a...mermaid."

Itachi allowed his eyes to widen as a pretense to show his surprise. She was telling him the story of the night she was abducted - and he'd come to rescue her. _She's going to say she saw me save her._ "Was the man who commanded them the one you and your family called 'Pain'?" She nodded.

"Yeah, like I told you, those crazy ideas of him wanting to be god of the seas, and when they saved his crashed ship after my rescue, his body was nowhere to be found. We can guess we might never, or he survived somehow. But if he thinks he'll get me again after the fiasco, he's gonna get what's coming to him." She winked, then it was gone. "I was tied the entire time and couldn't get away, but what happened, I couldn't even tell Dad, Pervy Sage, or even Mom. Everyone would say I was crazy that I _did_ see them," she muttered, throwing her hair back over her shoulder.

"You saw the _ningyo_."

"As clearly as I see you now. They were just as the stories described them, but I didn't see any gorgeous ones like you said," she said sadly. "But then I was close to drowning when I saw colors before my eyes...red and silver..."

 _By the gods...!_ "Did you see what that one in particular looked like?" Itachi questioned, only to feel his heart fall.

"No. I wish I did, but there's no sense obsessing too much over it. I've had enough of that night as it was. I just wanted to go back to my normal life. But those bastards at the bottom of the ocean makes me sleep well at night." Naru cracked her grin. "I got a little more sadistic streak that my mom has herself." He chuckled, lips pulling back to show his teeth.

But inside, he'd fallen further into his stomach. She only saw the colors red and silver - then part of his tail - but she never saw WHO saved her from drowning. Could this have gotten more challenging?

In a sense, it did give him a sense of peace. But she didn't seem scared of the knowledge that she'd seen real merpeople. There could be a chance...

"You think I'm crazy," she noted when she saw he didn't speak. Itachi stiffened.

"I was just lost in thought. But no, I believe you," he answered. Since she saw the known kind of merfolk from the mythos, how could he not cease the dancing around a little?

Her eyes widened as if disbelieved. "I find it hard to believe."

Itachi found the courage to reach over and take her hand into his. "Some of my family believe in them, while there are indeed others who believe it's just stories. These half-fish you speak of were just protecting each other and their territory, and who knows that there could have been one of them that brought you to the ocean shore..." Her swirling ocean blue eyes glittered as she pondered the facts now. With this given to her, maybe another seed was planted.

"I...never thought you would believe me. I mean, Hinata would," she said, almost babbling, "but anyone else -" She was cut off when he leaned in close and then raised two of his fingers to tap her forehead. It was a habit he did to Sasuke when they were younger, and now he felt like it as assurance. Naru's face turned so red that it made her hair look out of place. Itachi smirked tightly to show her he wasn't ashamed.

"It's fine, Naru-kun. Everyone needs to believe someone at some point." He frowned. "But others always are afraid of what they don't understand." _Just like those back home._

Naru yawned then. "I'm tired. I'm going ahead upstairs." She slid off the couch then and there.

"I'll clean up for you," Itachi offered. He'd seen how everything was kept in the blink of an eye, so this was his favor for her. She smiled and nodded her thanks before leaving the living room to clean up and head to bed. Itachi was alone to take out the DVD the way it had gone in, then put it back where it was, shutting the watching device itself off and then going to pick up the empty pink box filled with the sugar sticks.

He found Kurama in the kitchen at a huge bowl of water beside the sink and the trash can he now found himself discarding the box and sticks. The fox looked up and licked his lips of the pure fluids. He chuckled and knelt down to scratch the beast behind his ears, and he whimpered as well as growled softly, closing his eyes. The fox was warming up to him.

However, after shutting all the lights off and was now making his way to Naru's room, he stopped when he heard a strange noise coming from one of the rooms to his left. Furrowing his brows, Itachi wondered what it was. Stealthily, he turned and reached for the doorknob, turning it slowly with a careful precision, and peeked through the crack.

He did _not_ expect to see this. _What is this...?_

Kushina's bare back and the two rounded globes of flesh below were exposed, her long hair down her back, and her hips moving back and forth as she straddled Minato like he was an animal. By the look on his face, he seemed to enjoy it. His eyes were closed as he moaned and threw his head back. Both he and his wife were naked. Fascinated, Itachi observed the rotating hips and then let his attention waver north to see the curve of a breast; he was familiar with this body part because all mermaids had the same thing.

Minato's hand slid up her hip and then came to cup the breast there, and she threw her head back, moaning as her body continued to thrust itself over her husband. His other hand remained on her other hip, guiding her movements. The Uchiha's keen eye suspected that whatever Kushina had was rubbing over the lowermost parts of the man's anatomy. Somehow it made Itachi's own buzz quite a little. It felt so strange, and he placed his hand over it, rubbing it slightly, but the feeling didn't go away.

Now that Itachi had enough of this, it didn't take him much longer to piece it together: Naru's parents were engaged in a mating dance. In a form quite different from the way his kind did.

The way merpeople mated involved natural stamina that tired only at the end of the ritual. The human upper bodies would embrace and hold on for dear life, engage in as many passionate lip lockings you could muster without the need to breathe, and as many pleasurable touches on the overtly sensitive skin. In terms of connecting as one, the tailfins had a hidden "pearl and slit" in the female that were highly sensitive - even more than the entire body, and it was called intimate for a reason. The males had nothing and would simply rub on that secret treasure. This ensured that conception would be quick and easy as catching fish to eat. By the end of the endless entwined bodies' swirling around in no real direction - even hitting plant life or rocks, even coral in the process - there would be extreme fatigue.

Just like now, these two humans reached theirs and collapsed into each other's arms in the bed they shared. _Couples do sleep together this way, married._

"Maybe by morning you'll be so worn you might just let Naru go alone in your place," Minato joked, and she lifted her head to glare at him. "Ah, ah, don't do that, honey. I was just kidding. I hope you get them tomorrow." Then he laid his head back and scowled. "To think someone is trying to pollute the bay for the first time in years now..."

She scoffed. "The Aburames are never wrong. Tomorrow we can those guys," she told him sweetly, eyes flaring. "Me and our girl - we make a great team, don't we, Minato?" He snickered and kissed her.

"You two certainly do, Kushina."

Itachi took a few steps back, letting go of the knob carefully. _Someone trying to pollute the bay. Could it be the place I brought Naru to, where I ended up...? Why in the name of the heavens would anyone do such a horrendous deed for what purpose?_ He chose this chance to interrupt their intimate moment and knocked on the door - but not before he closed it quietly that he hoped neither heard. It took a few moments, listening to the rustling of clothing, before the door opened and there stood Minato with pants on now, who looked surprised to see him. "Itachi, I didn't think you'd visit us. Something wrong?"

He was going to be honest if it was the last thing. "I might have accidentally heard that Kushina got word of a possible pollution of the bay," Itachi answered. Hearing this, the lady herself appeared in a silken garment red as her hair.

"You heard, huh?" She narrowed her eyes knowingly.

"Only that I hope whoever is behind it can be stopped," he answered simply, praying she would buy it. "Would this 'bay' happen to be where I was recovered?" Minato sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"It seems so. The Aburame family monitors activity like this throughout our town and wildlife."

Kushina pulled her clothing closer around her body and wrapped her arms around herself. "Particles and readings were picked up from the water, but the suspects were gone before anyone could get there, especially Jiraiya's men," she said with a grunt. "Tomorrow Naru and I get ourselves out there to hold them in place until more backup comes. There is no telling when they will be back, but when they do come, we're going to be ready for them."

Itachi swallowed. The perfect solution that presented itself to please these two and their daughter was in front of him. "In that case, I wish you both good luck," he told them, nodding and bidding them good night. He was unaware of the suspicious looks husband and wife gave him and then to each other.

Naru was already in bed when he arrived, but she had just now turned the light off only to turn it back on when she saw the door open. "Took you long enough," she noted.

"Your mother happened to inform me of your next mission tomorrow," Itachi answered, pulling his shorts down, leaving himself in his underwear and t-shirt. "When do you leave?"

She laughed lightly and leaned back, watching him - and without a shred of awkwardness. "At seven in the morning. Why, you asking because you'll miss me all day?" she teased. Itachi only laughed back and dropped down to the foot of the bed, pulling his blanket over himself.

"Perhaps I will." The light went out in response, engulfing them in darkness.

Some time passed before he found himself looking out the window, admiring how the moon was glowing at a quarter. He loved the moon for no apparent reason. He could imagine it shining over the bay at this very moment. He found the opportunity to peek out the window as soon as Naru was asleep, and from afar, he could see the beauty of it. As predicted, the moon glimmered over the water.

 _Tomorrow seems like the best option to go. If I am to get there before them..._

~o~

Fugaku was in an even greater state of distress, downward spiraling into madness at his missing heir, and Mikoto was still crying. The couple had shut themselves away, leaving everything and even Sasuke's training on himself. The youngest Uchiha was having the toll weigh him down from both this and his own inner demons.

 _You should be here with us,_ aniki _. The moon is outside, and it is beautiful._ His betrothed and their close friends Ino and Sai from the Yamanaka clan - a mixed breed but otherwise non-beastly - were joining them. With Fugaku distracted, cruel as it sounded, Sakura insisted he slip away without anyone knowing, so they could enjoy the moonbeams penetrating the depths of the ocean near home.

Fair-haired Ino laughed with joy and shared a dance with Sakura. Her lavender tail glimmered like twilight, the teal-hued fins blending with their surroundings. Sai, her mate who had a dark gray tail with nearly white fins, playfully swam around Sasuke who only remained by to watch the females in their innocent tango against the beams.

"Going to give your lady a twirl while I snatch mine?"

"Hn." On the go, both males captured both females and swatted each other with their tail fins on occasion, though Sasuke was careful to not let the end of his touch Sakura's. They were both very seriously committed to not let intimacy come at such a time when they were still not married. Though Sai and Ino were already there, and while not hatefully, Sakura did not appreciate that her best friend was ahead of the competition. Sometimes he didn't understand females.

However, despite the spirited, carefree moment, Sasuke looked up at the glowing silvery white disc and prayed to the moon god to watch over Itachi.

~o~

Itachi...only a couple days...people really got to her so good it wasn't even funny. She decided that night as she fell asleep that she could no longer put this off, just in case her father did find his relatives. She wanted to think of him fondly as a good friend, even if she never knew him that well. She wanted to think of him as something other than a handsome stranger. He did seem to care about her without a care in the world. She had to laugh at the turn of phrase in that sentence.

The alarm rang, and she reached to turn it off. Kurama hadn't come in last night; he must have chosen to just laze on the couch. What also baffled her was that Itachi wasn't in the room. She didn't even hear him in the shower, which gave her chance to clean up and then change. If she kept Mama Kushina waiting, it was wrath time on a day like this. Naru slipped on tight gray jeans and a white tank top, then placed small chandelier earrings in her ears made of palette gems. She tied her hair back into a low ponytail to show them off. That done, she turned on her heel to go to the kitchen.

Her parents were there, but still no - "Mom, Dad?" she asked, pausing where she was. "Where is Itachi?"

Minato put down his newspaper and looked confused. "You mean...he's not with you?" Kushina dropped the pan she was cleaning into the sink and whirled around with bulging white eyes. Even Kurama stopped eating his morning meal and looked up with a whimper. Naru felt her palms sweat even though she didn't close them into fists.

 _What - Itachi gone?! Oh, God no...where could he be now?_

 **"Splash" was such a charming mermaid film. :) It just happened to come at the most unexpected time to bring it in here. Hope the chapter was worth the wait, and as you know, more to come in the next.**


	10. Sea Shore

**Had fun with Halloween last night. :D Red wine, eating some candy and then giving out to the trick or treaters - unfortunately, for some reason this year, there weren't many of them coming, but it was also a school night for them. Anyway, I also enjoyed the great slasher classics as well as certain black and white pictures. Hope you all had equal fun as I. :)**

 **Originally was "Ocean Shore", but I had been using "ocean" in titles a couple times lately I chose to switch, if to mean the same thing.**

Chapter Ten

Sea Shore

Nothing better than waking up in his wife's arms, no worries about the daughter coming in unexpected like she would have in childhood. Naru was old enough to knock before coming in, but last night, Itachi had been of all people to come and see him and Kushina after their intimate time. Was it strange that Itachi had to coincidentally show up and ask him about today? _Kushina and Naru - he said he accidentally heard, but was he purposefully_ snooping _on us?_ _I still don't know him, but he can't be a bad person for anything like this. He must have a good reason..._

The Aburame family were strategic environmental spies, even studying the behaviors of the living forms of nature. Their son, Shino, was a friend of his daughter's, and an insect lover. They also had means of using trained animals with attached devices to monitor any activities in the woods, on the shore and elsewhere outside the town in effort to catch devious ploys to threaten the wild which also would have severe consequences on Konoha as a whole. If anyone could hold that morale as part of their way of life, it was his wife and daughter.

Shibi Aburame had been the one to pick up the particle readings in the water of the bay, and samples were taken to be identified, and even though it wasn't set in stone, it was possible someone was going to poison the water as well as the life beneath it. If this went unattended, it could spread beyond Japanese sea borders; perhaps it could slip into smaller water canals and reach their rivers and springs. Not all bodies of water were connected to each other, but either way, it had to be stopped, so his wife's group would slip where the proof was found and stay there until the authorities arrived.

If a more cynical man heard the way his wife's activist group functioned as a partner with the police and spy forces, they would say this was a joke of a good story only children and adolescents would enjoy and become hopeful as well as foolish. But Konoha was one of the few towns in the world where there was little real conflict. It had begun as strained and difficult between Kushina and Konoha PD, and she had been "blackmailed", but she was fiercely passionate and proudly protected everything she loved, if she wasn't a real member of the law. In a sense, it was real life heroism without breaking laws.

When he had this information he needed, Itachi bade them good night and turned to find Naru's room, but he didn't seem aware that Minato and Kushina were still watching him, and his wife looked more puzzled and suspicious than he knew he was. "He seems...more interested in this than I noticed," she said. "Just like when Naru came to me, if you remember..."

Indeed, he did remember. Their girl had been fourteen at the time when it involved a rare white rabbit which was usually found in Kiri and was endangered. At the time had been simply because she loved animals that "something innocent and precious as that does NOT deserve to be butchered like that." But that was her utter determination that ran in both sides of the family, forging a strong bloodline. "Well, perhaps it was just innocent asking," Minato suggested. Yeah, that had to be it. After all, Itachi didn't seem to give off that same vibe. He was just curious; he was a newcomer in these parts, but there was still a lot of mystery about him.

How wrong he was. At dawn when Kushina was making a light breakfast for all of them, it was then that when Naru padded in with Kurama coming in after her. The bud had been sleeping on the couch the entire night. Minato finally saw that his daughter was alone when she asked where Itachi was. "You mean...he's not with you?" he managed, dropping the paper down at the same time his wife lost her wits.

"I thought he'd be here," Naru said, going to sit at the table and pulling forward the milk glass poured for her. "Where could he have gone? He doesn't even know the entire town yet, and what if he's lost -?" Minato interrupted her gently. He was willing to be positive and certain Itachi couldn't have gone far. However, in his mind, he wondered why on earth the guy would leave them all at the crack of dawn...

He stood quickly on instinct.

"Well, we don't have time to look for him now. We're going to leave in less than an hour, and this is important," Kushina said, shaking her head. "Minato-koi, maybe you can take care of that?"

He nodded, his mind elsewhere. Today he would find out where Itachi's relatives were, and if still nothing, it meant putting the case to an end since it was a vast ocean and so much to cover. He hated to do that, but if nothing was there, then Itachi was in for heartbreak and would have nowhere to go now - except with _them._ He really liked the boy - correction, young man. He had...questionable interests, and whatever his old life was based on the little, troublesome details he gave, Minato saw him living a better life here in Konoha.

 _"Didn't Mom always say that you should always help someone even if you don't know them?"_ Naru had reminded him, and that sealed it.

"Just leave it all to me," he told his girls, leaning up to kiss his wife's cheek when she brought over the eggs, rice and vegetables dishes. "I'm sure everything will be fine. I doubt Itachi is stupid to get himself into trouble."

Little did he know how wrong he was.

~o~

The morning colors were one of the most beautiful things he ever saw. All the colors beginning with orange to pale pink, purple tones, blue and black, all of which darkened and grew light at the same time. His senses were assaulted at the sights. The air was ripe with saltwater and other things. Itachi walked the streets of Konoha that morning in sandals, his white collared shirt and shorts as well as his hair tied back, when he spotted all the stores being opened; they closed at night for the humans overseeing them to sleep, like Naru and her parents. All humans slept at night as well as those under the sea.

It was then that he found his way to one of them - the one with Arashi who sold him his clothes yesterday. The young man looked surprised and jovial to see him at this hour. "Oh, Itachi, right?"

"Yes," the Uchiha answered kindly.

"I didn't think you'd come back again after yesterday, or even at this time. What can I do for you today?"

"I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to the bay from here," Itachi answered. "I'm still new to this town, but I heard that it's very calm and peaceful." He put his hands in the pockets on either side of the front of his shorts. And these things were used to put a certain number of different things within, even your hands. He was pleased with this information because his hands needed a rest.

Arashi's eyes widened a bit before returning to normal, chuckling a tad awkwardly. "Well, that's good to know, but a little odd, though I suppose it's because of the time, and I never expected to see you again anytime soon. It's not very far away from here..."

Itachi was given a map that the young man had on himself and was quick to detect every spot in less than a moment. He found himself outside the town limits and at the spot in under half an hour, which was the very place he first met Naru. There was a boat tied to the dock now, and it appeared to be a fisherman's craft but riddled with worn, resembling the ones that sunk to the bottom of the ocean. He spotted a handful of people on board - two that he could count. He was behind the very same rock where Kurama the fox chased him atop. _It's hard to believe it is day three already._

He could see the people in sight, together arranging the metal barrels that made him think would be used to toss into the ocean. Oh, he remembered them all too well, now that his memory was triggered. Those barrels carried whatever would poison the water and kill the life in it. He gritted his teeth with utter loathing. There was no way he would let them get away with this...but the question was how he could carry it out.

 _Wait._

The most brilliant idea came to his mind as he moved to unbutton his shirt until it reached the bottom, revealing his bared, rippling front, all the while watching the older man with bandages over the bottom half of his face and the younger with longer dark hair, almost feminine. Itachi guessed the younger was male because of the obvious lack of breasts.

Naked, Itachi left his clothes on the rock, folded neatly, placing his sandals atop them to keep any wind that would pick up from knocking them away. He made his way over to the water, exhaling with pleasure at the familiar feeling covering his body, and began to swim forward, drawing his legs together as a substitute for his old tail. He reached the ladder that was attached to the hull and began to climb up.

~o~

"Oh, that's where he is," Kushina said with disbelief, peering through her own set of binoculars. They were all on the small cliff above the fisherman's boat that came in yesterday; they were all sure this was the one, and the barrels loaded on deck were immediately identified as toxic waste. Everything they needed was right there. Behind them, Naru could hear the authorities being alerted. They would be here in five minutes. But in the meantime...

 _Itachi is down there -_ and he was just as he had been when she first met him: stark naked as the day he was born. Her skin flared up at the same time her heart burst in her chest. Itachi had slipped out of the house, stripped down, and thought to get on board their target, for WHAT? What the hell was he thinking doing this?!

"Mom, what the hell is he...?" she trailed off, too embarrassed as she listened to their teammates groaning and exchanging dismayed as well as hilarious remarks that blurred into one at the sight of the sexy nude man with long raven black hair that ended above his firm, sweetly shaped ass - _oh, gods, a girl would kill for a man with that kind of ass_ \- and his muscles rippling with each move he took as well as halted when the man with the bandaged face pulled a gun out and aimed it at him while shouting at the younger person - a girl? - to get going with what they were here for. Now she wondered if Itachi was really an idiot for coming here, on his own without telling anyone, without a good plan, getting naked, and standing in front of a crazy guy with a gun.

Kushina cleared her throat and shook her head. "I never would have thought of that. I don't know why he thought to do...that..." She giggled like an insipid schoolgirl again before turning and barking at the others behind her to get onto getting their asses down there to secure the gallons of toxins, leaving her and her girl to knock out the perps before Pervy Sage and his men showed up.

 _Will Dad, if he finds out Itachi is here with us?_ She had a feeling he would get a serious talking to when this was over. This was his third day with them, but it wasn't like he really did anything wrong and incriminating. Right?

Just as they were all getting out from their hiding places, she froze for a second at the sound of a gunshot. Looking up, she saw Itachi engaged in a fist and striking match with the man with the gun, having knocked the weapon out of the other's hand without trying too hard. She started in shock. Her mother and the rest seemed to be thinking the same thing: how the hell did he do _that_?!

~o~

Somehow it seemed easier to climb up the ladder with legs and feet than it had been that night he rescued Naru from the _Red Dawn._ He paused at the railing to see the two up close. He wondered if they were the only ones on board, or if there were any more below waiting to be called up, but here he was, and this was the only weapon he had, and that was appearing in his bared skin, dripping wet and his hair about his shoulders.

His feet hitting the wooden deck got all attention on him.

"Hey, who the hell are you?" the man with spiky dark hair growled. His arms and legs were covered with a cloth of animal print, and the rest of his powerful physique was draped with muscled garments, giving off how intimidating he would be to a lesser being, but was it compared to a merman in human form, with nothing at all? _But I have no weapon, damn it._ He spotted how the other man reached behind him, and he heard a faint _click._ "Are you going to answer me? This boat of mine isn't a male brothel or whatever perverted business you have here, so get lost if you know what is good for you."

Itachi leaned back, his behind hitting the metal rail in a half-sitting position, placing both hands on either side of himself. "What business do _you_ have in this beautiful, untouched, quaint spot in one of the greatest towns I have been in?" he returned with a charming smile, tilting his head and bringing one hand to run through his long hair innocently - rather, pretending to be. The wicked looking guy seemed to suspect just that, for he pulled out what had clicked. It was a weapon, but what was it exactly? Itachi had a feeling...wait, he remembered now. It was one of those things that had fired off into the night, held by the evil fishermen themselves. Now this one had it.

"Haku, this one is a spy, and I know it," the man growled to the pretty-looking young man. "Go ahead and get to dumping that stuff in while I take care of him."

"Yes, Zabuza," the young male answered without trouble, but when he looked at Itachi, the merman-human recognized sympathy, but there was nothing he could do but obey orders. The Uchiha pitied the lad.

He realized that he needed to get to the boy before he let the barrels into the water, which he read _toxic_ on the sides. If that was what caused the "strange readings", then he would go for that. He didn't understand why the bandaged man, Zabuza, didn't react to his naked body, but the younger clearly flushed. He supposed it had to do with age. But he couldn't turn and go back to get dressed; by then, it would be too late. _Get the weapon first. The best first action is to dodge the weapon on you._ Another brilliant idea entered his mind. "I would take care first, if I were either of you." This got the boy to stop as he reached to touch the ropes that held the stack of barrels in place. "Suppose that my superiors are watching at this very moment...and one of them right behind you now, Zabuza," Itachi said coyly, and the reaction was just as he wanted. The man whirled around, prompting him to lunge forward and throw his open palm forward, striking the hand-held steel downwards and setting it off, a loud explosion heard between them.

 _He fired into the deck when I hit him. He lost his concentration._

Itachi never thought getting the opponent off-guard as a human could feel so good. "What the hell? My gun!" Zabuza roared, trying to pick it up, but Itachi was on him again, throwing himself atop the other man and knocking him onto the deck, tussling with him by wrapping his arms and legs around the other from behind, refusing to let go. Haku stood by and watched with disbelief and also impression. It made him wonder if the boy was here against his will, or if he chose to be in the beginning but grew to realize it wasn't what he'd thought it would be.

"What are you hoping to accomplish with this?" he hissed in Zabuza's ear. "I won't let you go until you tell me where the toxins came from, and why you are doing this."

"None of your business," Zabuza ground out, reaching into the front right pocket of his jacket and pulling something out - _a knife._ In a flash, a slash of pain erupted in his right lower arm. Itachi hissed but didn't let go, even as his long, thin wound began to bleed. "You really are a fool. If you keep on me like this, I'll gut you until your arms are nothing but strips of flesh and red meat."

The hand holding the knife was just coming his way again, but Itachi caught it in a heartbeat and tightened his grip, happy his strength wasn't lost in human form. It seemed being human still meant hardened match. "I won't release you until you answer me. Either you tell me, or we can stay here all day until my friends and the authorities get here. Wouldn't want to be caught with a _naked man_ -" he breathed hotly against that ear. "- against your body, would we?" The man stilled with stunned shock, at the same time they heard Haku's cry as something apparently struck out at him and sent him over the railing, splashing into the water. Itachi could not look over to see who or what had done it, for if he did, Zabuza would regain the upper hand.

"Fine. I was hired to do this. The man is paying big money for this, and I don't know anything else. This is what I do to earn a living. Haku is orphaned and works as my right hand."

Itachi smiled. "Now, that wasn't so hard, was it? Who hired you?" he pressed, and it was then and there he heard HER voice, but not Naru's.

"I think I can get that out of him myself, Itachi. You can just let him go and put your clothes back on." He released Zabuza and rolled away in the opposite direction at the same time Kushina yelled like a wild animal and came flying Zabuza's way, eyes white and round like balls, red hair a halo of hellish fire around her head; she was scarier than any shark. She kicked out the knife from Zabuza's hand before delivering another to his stomach, and finally a punch to his abdomen, which sent him over the railing and into the water. It was a good thing the deed had not been done before help arrived.

Itachi found himself looking over to see black cars blaring loudly with red and blue lights on their roofs, and a boat with them coming towards this one. The authorities were here. On the deck of the boat was the same man with white hair, the one called Jiraiya - or "Pervy Sage" - with his arms folded across his chest and mouth in a tight line. Itachi turned behind him to see Naru coming towards him, with the stack of _his_ clothes in hand, and she looked happy to see him as well as trying not to laugh. "Hello to you, lovely," he had to say and could not help himself. Giggling, she offered him the garments he left on the beach, and he took them to redress whilst listening to her mother bark at her people to secure the line, and for the others to bring the two in the water to the police vessel.

"Kushina is impressive," he noted. "She took him out when I never would have thought of that." She looked a little surprised at that.

"My mom has monstrous strength." She sighed wistfully. "Sometimes I wish I got as strong as she did." But then her expression hardened instantly as she did the one thing Itachi never expected. Her palm had raised, and it happened so fast. White flashed before his vision as a painful, stinging impact came to land on his left cheek, turning his face in the other direction. _You wish you had monstrous strength? Feels like you already do!_

Naru practically shrieked in his ear. "That's for sneaking off without leaving a note or even telling us where you were going, asshole!"

~o~

If Fugaku was locked away with his wife, this was Sasuke's opportunity to sneak away during day, to hell with it all. He could outrun any guards who came his way and got back on his own perfect timing he mastered in the last couple days. No one need know how he did it but himself - and of course Shisui. His cousin wasn't with him at the present, but he needed no one.

He could imagine being told he was rash again, but he was growing the hell up. He was going to prove it. It was day three, as well, and he needed to check on Itachi. It seemed that coincidentally, he got to see his _aniki_ at dawn when the delicate colors turned into crystal blue. At the same time, a strange, old boat that couldn't be from around here had to board the docks where he and Shisui left Itachi two days ago. There was no way he could be here all the time, and today happened to be a blessing when he saw his beloved older brother there - and getting naked before getting into the water to swim for the ladder on the side of the craft, climbing up. He didn't know what was going to happen until he heard the loud BANG, some time later, telling him that Itachi had gotten into trouble.

Shaking his head, Sasuke decided to leap up and help his brother.

There was a human who might have been his age, and he was toying with rope that held barrels over the edge of the railing. These guys were bad news for the water life. Sasuke made enough commotion to get the boy's attention while Itachi wrestled with the armed man who looked like a ghost. He glimpsed more humans coming, and he had a damned good feeling they were here to stop these people. Shisui told him there were humans who were also dedicated to preserving their world as well as the one on land. But that also meant he still had to stay hidden.

He scraped himself against the wood below the railing, but the noise got the attention of the boy at the roped barrels. As soon as he came to lean over, Sasuke threw himself into the air and lashed his tail out, his fins striking the other across the face. The human yelped and fell face forward, flailing and landing into the water.

He had to get away now, disappearing to not be seen by the other humans coming as well as this one, but he would be back to try and find Itachi again. But before he left, he poked his head out of the water and spotted his brother and his woman, who was helping him get dressed like she was - and then her hand laid on Itachi's cheek, which made the younger Uchiha snicker as this amused him...but it also troubled him because he did not know what his _nii-san_ had done to deserve the lash to his face.

By the looks of it, he might not have gotten the girl Naru to love him as he wanted. _I always knew it wouldn't be easy_. Shaking his head, Sasuke dipped his head beneath the waters again and chose to go hunt for a few fish to snack.

 **Ouch, Naru hit Itachi for what he did. (winces) Well, he kind of does get it, but he's so not gonna stop there.**


	11. Song of the Mermaids

Chapter Eleven

Song of the Mermaids

"Well, I never thought I would hear about anything like this," Jiraiya said with a shake of his head, trying to stay serious. If he had literally seen Itachi butt naked, he would have had the epic nosebleed that her mother almost did. Naru wasn't sure what provoked her into hitting him to prove her point, but she had to. "You two and Minato bring in a strange guy from the beach, and after two days, he does something unforgettable in trying to help you out. He really is an oddball." _Oh, Pervy Sage, that's an understatement._

"Well, he never should have popped off like that," Kushina stated, but even she was having trouble keeping a straight face. "But you should have seen the action: he had Zabuza Momochi down before we arrived. And down to the _skin!_ " She doubled forward, slapping a hand over her mouth. "I don't know if I could ever be brave to do that. Have you ever heard of that, Jiraiya?"

"But you gotta admit, he really crossed the line in a clever way." He laughed, turning to look down at Naru. "What about you, kid? He hasn't tried anything funny, has he?" he asked, reaching to ruffle her hair when she specifically tied it back!

She bared her teeth back. "Pervy Sage -" She ignored his protest at calling him that name in front of his deputies and officers securing the crime scene. "- it's not what you think it is. Dad, Hinata and I found him on this same shore, and he's looking for Itachi's family, but he might find the answer today." And if that was done, then that meant she might never see him again. Things had gotten so weird and confusing. She planned to tell him that she liked him - not going too far - and to not part on awkward terms, but then _this_ happens. And on top of that, she lost her wits and slapped him in the face for his behavior.

 _Why the hell would he sneak out of the house - oh, Mom, you had to tell him about this._ But it wasn't completely anyone's fault. She remembered being fourteen when she first took interest. So, did this mean Itachi...?

Naru knew she acted out, and she wanted to know why Itachi went off without warning to do this, and what he'd been hoping to accomplish. And on cue, the man in the conversation popped up between her and Kushina. "Jiraiya," he said happily, "or 'Pervy Sage' as these two women call you."

"Oi, I prefer Jiraiya, thank you very much!"

Itachi laughed and raised his palm. "I apologize. But it is...a pleasure to finally meet you." He extended that hand for a shake which the old perv gladly accepted.

"You really caused quite the ruckus today, eh, Itachi. These ladies and who knows how many really had nosebleeds -"

"NO WAY, WE DID NOT!" mother and daughter both exclaimed in outrage, and Kushina was the one to be serious.

"Jiraiya, if we are done here, what can you tell us now about these two in custody as well as who they are working for?"

Jiraiya cleared his throat and nodded. "Ahem, right. Well, Zabuza Momochi who earned the nickname 'Demon of the Hidden Mist' back in his land - who'd have thought he'd make his way here with his little sidekick?" He shook his head. "Kid has no home, because his family was killed during a snowstorm a few years ago by a bloodthirsty gang, and Momochi took him in." _Oh, a big shot in the underworld got his ass handed without too much work by a naked young man._ She could see that making damned good headlines. "Who knows, maybe he saw a part of himself in Haku. But on point, a couple of my guys are sweeping the craft, and just now we got these permits to dump the wastes into the bay." Jiraiya produced said documents from his jacket and held them for her mom to go bug-eyed once again over. Naru leaned over her shoulder and growled in her throat. Itachi peeked over curiously, raising an eyebrow.

"Who is this 'Gato'?" he asked, making them all surprised. Practically every mature adult or teenager - if they were lucky - knew who one of the wealthiest men in the five great and few smaller nations was.

"Gato is one of the richest tycoons around," Naru answered with an exasperated breath. "But long story short, he is much more beneath the surface. Very few have been able to figure that out, and many more barely live to tell about it."

Kushina clicked her tongue, gave the papers back to Jiraiya and wiped her hands on herself as if she'd gotten something dirty on them. "But that bastard son of a bitch," she spat, "is one of the many I hate so much in the world. He's a drug and human trafficker, and hires the nastiest hitmen to do his dirty work. He doesn't care about the cost as long as the job gets done." Her eyes glittered cruelly. "To think he wanted to do this to us to scare us, think to take us down like he did to Nami Island two years ago..." Naru closed her eyes when she remembered how that once independent but prosperous island had somehow vanished from the world's knowledge, if remaining charted on record. There was no telling if it was still even existing. If a man like Gato controlled the government, the people and the shipping with his iron grip, it might be completely diminished by now.

 _And to think this guy was going to do the same to us, a much bigger and better nation..._

Itachi had been listening but said nothing. His eyes said it all: he got an idea without even asking. Then his eyes flashed with something akin to hate and rage.

At the same time, fire broke out, bullets hitting the side of the boat, the ground at their feet and their heads. A couple vehicles screeched and let loose several rough-looking men with masks over their faces. _Damn it, Gato must have sent them to make sure Zabuza and Haku would be killed if they failed, and anyone who apprehended him would also go down._ "Girls, Itachi, get out of here while we handle them!" Jiraiya shouted, pulling out his gun and diving behind a rock with a few of the guys.

Naru took Itachi by the wrist while her other was grasped roughly by her mother; she yelped as she was jerked away with Itachi towards the car. "Come on, that bastard doesn't need to see us here -" Kushina started only to be stopped at the sound of a sneering voice.

"Zabuza - I paid so much money for him to finish the job, and this is what I get as the result?" A sniff. "And to think he was stopped by two sluts and a...what the hell are you? Are you a man or _woman?_ " the short, shaded man sneered at Itachi. His sandy hair, attempted to be tamed with product after product, frizzed over his head. He stood hunched over a cane. He was alone. This was him, and he thought he could be here without someone to back him up because the two women and handsome man seemed harmless compared to his loads of money and different forms of hire.

"What...did...you...say?" Kushina growled. "You think you can talk like that about the Red Hot Habanero and get away with it?"

"I get away with anything everywhere," Gato replied snidely. "As for you, and the little goldie - your daughter, I presume? Oh, I have heard about you, Kushina, and Naru. I'm honored to stand in front of you...but the lad, is he your lover by any chance, Naru-chan?" He really pushed her temper limits, and she was so close to pummeling him like her mother did to Zabuza on deck.

Itachi pushed himself away from mother and daughter, ignoring their protests. _You fool, this is one of the richest men. If you so much as attack him, charges will be filed._ "If you can spend as much time getting everything you want, surely you must realize one day that luck can always run out," he said calmly. "Like today."

The short man laughed as though he'd heard a good joke. "Boy, I don't know who you are, but who are you to think you can -" He never got to finish his sentence when they both heard a heavy _thud_ and a groan as he fell forward, letting go of his cane, and that was when Naru chose to do what she wanted. And without a care in the world, since Pervy Sage and his men were busy with Gato's other hands, here the three of them were around the corner where all vehicles of their activist team were parked, and still overlooking a portion of the bay and beach. She picked it up and whacked him on the back and then on the hideous backside; she just knew it was. It felt good to actually WHIP that ass, and it made her mother laugh hysterically. Itachi chuckled, but other than that, he didn't react much.

Naru looked at him only to see him looking ahead, past her. She craned her head and saw nothing but a rippling circle in the sparkling waters, telling her something was there but had since vanished, never to be seen. She returned her attention down to Gato's now unconscious form, seeing what had hit him.

It was a conch shell - a _beautiful_ array of blood-orange on the outside, turning into pale pink and lavender as well as a mother-of-pearl shimmer. Itachi picked it up with a dreamy, content... _grateful_ smile on his face. She thought the "gift" was beautiful, but who had thrown it and saved their skins? And why was her strange houseguest smiling like that?

~o~

 _This is so strange. No boat found, no bodies - nothing._

Minato could not explain his feelings right now as he stared at the phone when Shikaku hung up first, after giving him the intel. There hadn't been reports of a storm in the last four, five days, as it had been with the _Red Dawn_. This meant either Itachi was keeping something, or it was as simple as the corpses and boat were just lost as it happened every day. Which meant that he had to break the news to Itachi as soon as he was back at this house.

It wasn't long before, a couple hours later and doing his best to not worry, Minato was enjoying the latest on the news, and he saw the headline and bolted forward in his seat. "Kushina...Naru... _Itachi?!"_ he exclaimed in shock.

 **UZUMAKI FAMILY, KPD AND NAKED MAN FOIL TOXIC WASTE PLOT**

He listened as the reporter detailed that his wife and daughter and their team had come as "backup" while a strange young man with long black hair was the first to arrive at the scene, having tackled the notorious "Demon of the Mist", Zabuza Momochi, before authorities arrived to apprehend the hitman and his young ward known only as Haku, and then Gato as well as his extra set showed up in attempts to off everyone off. And that was when it was mentioned the tycoon himself had been taken down by hand - by none other than Naru, with his own cane. Minato couldn't be more proud of his daughter; she had more of her mother's fury than her father.

And the "naked man" part? Eyes only for Kushina, Naru and the others, Itachi had stripped down in possible attempts of distraction as well as no other alternate ideas. Minato could hardly contain himself as he doubled over in his seat on the sofa with laughter, his insides clenching, and Kurama looked up with a little whimper before turning his attention to the TV before covering his face with his paw. "Sorry you had to see that, buddy," he said, reaching over to scratch the beast behind the ears.

He watched as his wife, daughter and their houseguest's faces appeared on the television to be interviewed, and smiled to himself, reaching behind himself to nervously laugh and couldn't wait to have them all back to celebrate the victory - but he also knew that the good mood might be interrupted because of a serious talk to. It was best to break the news to Itachi and then let Kushina and Naru talk to him about his popping off at dawn the way he did.

~o~

 _Sasuke...you saved us. You disabled Gato yourself with the shell now in our possession. But you disappeared before you could be seen. You're with me when you get the chance, foolish_ otouto. He sighed and lowered his gaze. Soon he would sneak out again for "fresh air", but not to be forever enough to worry Naru and her parents again. He'd already done it to them today as it was.

Itachi replayed the conversation in his mind as he sat on the dock - not the one at the bay - where a collection of boats were rowed, in every shape and size. He distinctively and purposefully started with his own, when all four of them were at the kitchen table, and Kurama the fox stayed outside, listening intently and obviously nervous.

 _"I only did it because I simply wanted to make you both happy - especially you, Naru. I love the ocean as much as you, for back home in my family it is a vital part of life. It never occurred to me it was a reckless decision. I merely wanted to surprise you."_

That seemed to make them all speechless before Minato was the one to burst laughing when the women were sharp. _"Well, you and my girls here could be a great team then. All of us love those waters as much..."_ But the anger of his wife outmatched and blew up the atmosphere.

Kushina had never been so frightening when she erupted in his face and slammed the table so hard it almost cracked in half. _"Itachi, you're an even bigger idiot than I thought you'd be. You don't just go half-cocked without help and advice beyond what you asked me for! You have never done this before, and it doesn't appear you have as enough common sense as I thought you might!"_

The lecture had never been so stinging that it was why he found himself here on the docks, looking out at the boats coming in, others going out, and the rest docked and tied. His feet dangled over the edge, not even close to touching the waters as much as he wished. _I wish Sasuke or Shisui, or both, were here right now. I wish I could talk to someone right now..._

But maybe Naru's mother hadn't hurt as much as the girl herself.

 _"I don't know what to say, Itachi. I'm agreeing with Mom, but I also wanted to tell you something. Before Dad was going to find your family, I wanted to say that I kind of...like you. I still don't know who you are, but I don't want to see or think of you as a stranger in our house."_

It was also then that Minato had announced he never found his family, which relieved him internally, but on the outside, he showed a tinge of sadness, closing his eyes and saying nothing. The family seemed to take this as being so sudden for him, but not a surprise. They let him go then and there, when he said he needed to be alone, but he didn't go very far from the house. He said he would be at the docks where the boats were, where they would find him easily. He did want to be alone to think about how he could make this right before the day was over.

He also expected more shouting especially at his display of nudity before the women and their colleagues, but none of them mentioned it. They must have said enough. "I won't treat you like a child, but think about what you did," Kushina had said before he went out the front door. Naru didn't even try to stop him, and he didn't want her to.

Today he learned the hard way with trying to make the woman he loved happy without even consulting her. It turned out he really did know nothing about her life.

He closed his eyes, feeling himself drift off into another world, to a distant memory.

 _The dazzling scenery is in the sky's custody_

 _A stature bent in shame, touched by sunlight_

 _The truth is, I know it_

 _I laugh from within my heart_

 _Right now, can you hear it?_

 _The voice in my heart is_

 _Forever as it is, existing there..._

It was a lullaby that existed within their people through the ages since the birth of their kind in these waters. He hadn't forgotten about his family, but he wanted to sing it aloud to himself so he could keep their memory alive. If he never saw them again, this song would be all he had left of them. And if possible, he wished for her to hear it...

 _Those eyes, pretending to be tough, always so sudden_

 _The landscape swaying, what do you see?_

 _What condemnation closes off_

 _Perhaps your heart will gently open_

 _If we can feel it all_

 _The wind will envelop this body_

 _In the days of this world, we'll surely see it_

If anyone was to ask him who this was for specifically, it was his mother, brother, cousin and anyone outside the Uchiha when they would accept he was "dead". He felt a tear slip down his cheek and hit the water, glittering like a diamond.

 _Forever, a heart's sunlight_

 _Even now, you understand, right?_

 _The wind will envelop this body_

 _In the days of this world, we'll surely see it, right?_

 _Existing here, and..._

"You sound...like a living flute."

He nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of the voice. Naru was standing there with two plastic white cups in hand, which he recognized as the _hakuto_. She wasn't blushing again, but she was smiling lightly, just standing there as if she didn't know what else to do. "What is the occasion?" Itachi asked curiously as she came to sit beside him, offering him one.

"A peace offering," she answered. "I don't think you realized it, since you don't have a watch, but you've been gone for almost an hour. Mom was cooling down and realized she was a little harsh on you today."

"She had a right to be," Itachi admitted, poking through the peach sweet with the plastic spoon. "I accept responsibility."

Naru looked at him with widened eyes which returned to normal. "You don't have to overdo that, you know. We Uzumakis unleash our wrath in the harshest way ever, but we also forgive and forget in no time," she said, baring her teeth in a grin, before getting serious again. "Tell me something...did you really mean to take those guys down for me?" Itachi swallowed. He nodded without a word. This seemed to make her happy.

He took a few more bites of the sweet dessert in silence, enjoying the comfort with her and happy that she had forgiven him. _Humans do have a compassionate side for the wrongly done - except those who harm the innocent._ "I really want to become like you and your mother, since I have nothing else for my life," he told her, and suddenly the air became tense again. He feared a repeat of earlier - but to his surprise, she merely gulped down the next spoonful.

"I'm happy you care about what we do, but it won't be that easy. My mom really is serious about this, and it's about teamwork instead of solo; that's something you should work on, for one, and learning to trust with the information." _Which I certainly will._ "And that also regards the naked stuff you pulled off. She agrees it wasn't something she ever thought of," Naru said with a nervous giggle, running a hand through her long, tied hair which found its way over one shoulder, "but it certainly got Zabuza distracted." _Only it's something no human should be brave enough to pull off._

Itachi sighed to himself. There were too many laws humans had put up over the silliest of things. But if he could sacrifice his tail fin for the legs he had now, he might as well compromise his body to be seen by others.

"Come on," Naru announced, standing up and stretching. "Let's go back to the house. Mom and Dad want to celebrate us putting those bastards behind bars." She grinned. "And with any luck, Gato might be killed by one of his own men once his ass is off on bail. You know what they say: what goes around comes around. He really thought his money could control those monsters who seek jobs under him."

Itachi returned the smile and stood up, looking down with her. "Naru," he said, remembering that she had her plans with Hinata-chan, "after we celebrate, do you have to meet with your charming friend?"

She looked confused for a moment before her expression changed. "Oh, thanks for reminding me. Yeah, but I'll meet with Hinata afterwards."

"Then..." He broadened his smile. "...when you return, I would love to do something for you."

"What would that be?"

"Just as you have done for me, I wish to brush that sunlit hair of yours and tie it back the way it is now," Itachi replied, savoring the priceless reaction on her face, not the least bit ashamed. And how could she even say no to his offer?

 **The Land of Waves, the small island that had been under Gato's rule - "Nami no Kuni". Now it's Nami Island. As for how Gato gets his ass whipped, Zabuza did just that, but this time I wanted Itachi and the ladies to do it. ;) Show some teamwork.**

 **The song Itachi sung was "Kotonoba" by Hideo Ishikawa (his Japanese VA). I swear to God when I heard it on YouTube, it made me weep tears. :'D Originally in Japanese, what you saw was the English translation. It really does fit Itachi's story in ninja-verse, doesn't it?**


	12. Island Paradise

Chapter Twelve

Island Paradise

Kushina was called back to handle some business, which he chose not to bother her about, as pressure made things worse rather than better. He was with her husband and daughter when the trio wished her luck. He was left alone with them both again, making him happy that he would be alone with the man while Naru could go through with her "girl time" with Hinata.

"Well, I'm gonna have to have some adventures with the fox while the ladies are doing their business." He shook his head as he cleared away the dishes from their lunch, and Itachi offered to help. "Which means you get to bond with the buddy," he added with a cracked grin.

Itachi recalled the red-furred beast sitting on top of him the first night he spent here just to show him who was superior. Animals really had more personality than human beings did. He chuckled and looked down at the fox when he came in between both men. His tail puffed and swished about. Laughing, Minato knelt down and scratched him along the back. "Ready to go down to the beach?" Kurama whimpered and ducked his head as the answer. "Oh, Itachi, by the way, this is another beach that isn't near the bay. No doubt Kushina, Hyuuga-san and the others are working on it."

"Hyuuga-san...Hinata's father?"

"Mm-hmm." The older man was going through a couple drawers in the wardrobe outside the kitchen now until he pulled out a red-colored rope. Presumably the animal's leash. "He is ecstatic that the next imbeciles were stopped from polluting what is a part of his business. Hiashi-san may be a stick-in-the-mud, but he really cares about our lives," Minato said with a slight smile before it was gone. "But had Naru been a boy, Hiashi would have kept them apart."

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "How so? If Naru was male and had been with Hinata like...you and Kushina?" he asked, earning a nod. Somehow he could picture Naru like that, resembling her father as well, which made him stifle a laugh.

Minato laughed when he sensed his behavior. "Like that, but the point is Hiashi Hyuuga doesn't care who his daughter is friends with, but he's very strict and selective about her being with a guy," he said, brows furrowing with a slight scowl. "Fathers know from experience what younger men and boys are like. Trust me, I know that all too well." When he laid his gaze on Itachi, somehow the younger had a feeling it had to do with the matter of courting the daughter. Now he worried about having this man's respect more than ever. Minato did like him, but things had gotten much harder than ever. But he had to ask his help...advice, anything...

"If that is the case, then after a few days of knowing you and your family - but not too well enough," he added, holding himself well, "it would be a trouble to ask for your advice regarding your own daughter."

Surprise flashed across Minato's face.

"I-Itachi...I never thought I'd hear those words from you. I should say something harsher, because I should make sure that Naru deserves better." By this time, he had the leash around Kurama's neck, and the poor beast growled a little at having something around him, shackling him. "But since you're living with us now, I'd love nothing more than to welcome you into the family," he said kindly. "I know a good person when I see one, even if I still don't know them personally."

Now they were walking out the front door and along the sidewalk. Kurama was ahead of them, kept in place by his master. Itachi looked forward to the walk, his body moreso. Minato stated that this was good for the bones and the calcium in them; calcium was vital for the muscles and blood, and could be found in certain foods and vegetables. If you wanted to be young, fit and healthy, it meant little sweets, more exercise, and more sunlight. It was Minato who noted that Itachi was "so pale you could be a moon sprite". But he also had to wear sunscreen to avoid his pale flesh to be burned, and he wasn't sure he could afford that in the slightest.

"So, what do you want to know? I have a feeling it does have to do with the Hyuuga Fundraiser," Minato stated, reading his mind with a hearty sound. "I'm not surprised. Kushina and I were invited as well, and it is allowed to bring a date even if they were uninvited. Naru did ask you, didn't she?" Itachi nodded happily. "Well, that's good. That means you and I can head out to find you something sharp to wear. Dress code is casual formal since it will be at the Hyuuga Beach House."

It was not long before they were at the beach, which Itachi noted was sprawling with lush green trees and a pristine view of the ocean, trimmed with white, and the sand a little whiter enough to nearly match the foam of the waves coming in. It was summer, and it was so beautiful. He was aware of the seasons below water based on temperature. The coldest would be winters, but the warmest of summers. Spring was warm to mild, and autumn mild to cooling. He favored summer because he and Sasuke had been born, if different times, in that season.

"Oh, Kakashi, what a surprise!" Minato exclaimed at the sight of the silver-haired man who was propped against a rocky wall, casually on one leg, and holding up an orange thing - a book. He read the title as _Icha Icha Paradise. This must be one of those books by Jiraiya that Minato mentioned._ "And still doing what you do best, huh?"

"Yo. And Itachi, I was hoping I'd see you again." Kurama went up then and whimpered, making the man step back like it was a viral thing, but he knelt down and let the fox greet him with a lick to the face.

~o~

When she got to the dress shop, Hinata was already there. The Hyuuga beauty in her pale blue flowery dress and hair wild and sleek, Naru felt a bit envious - but not in a bad way. "Hina-chan," she called happily to her friend, who turned and beamed at her. And in her arms were more pretty dresses than she could have counted. They sure were going to spend a hell of a while here before the day was over.

"Otou-san gave his thanks for the sweets you dropped by, and for what you did today," Hinata told her as they made way for the back changing room which had two sections separated by bamboo doors. Then her skin turned pink. "And Itachi..." She hushed her voice by the time they were reaching the rooms, only for the left to open, and out came none other than Tenten. "Why, hello, Tenten!" What was surprising was the tomboy brunette was in a two-pieced white suit; the top had a plunging neckline while the pants were wide-legged and flowing. "That's cute!" Hinata commented. "I assume it's for my father's event."

"That's right," the girl with two Minnie Mouse-like pigtails answered, giving herself a little twirl. "I didn't have to look very far. I already knew this was the one. Naru?"

The blonde nodded, agreeing without a lot to say. "Yeah, it's perfect." She gave Naru a curious eye when she turned to go back inside to change.

"Say, Naru, I saw on the news..." _Oh, no. The talk of the town._

"Yeah, Mom and I had enough of the press, and it's so embarrassing to talk about," she said quickly, but Tenten wouldn't get enough.

"So, you tell the press that hassles every little detail, but not to a friend who just fainted at the sight of a gorgeous hot man on the television, talking in a deep voice out of the world, and just happened to try and conjure up what he looks like naked - and the fact he did it in front of two of the guys you, your mom and the police stop from ruining our lands?" the brunette went on, the rustling of clothes heard the entire time she was speaking. "Everyone is practically whispering about it to each other. I really want to meet him myself!"

The area felt as if it had turned into a hundred and thirty-five degrees. Tenten was going to draw so much attention if she didn't stop talking about Itachi like this. "Um, Tenten," Hinata said, coming to her rescue, "maybe you should tone it down a little."

By this time, the other girl was changed back to her regular clothes, a t-shirt and shorts, and had her dress suit ready to buy. "Tone it down? I don't think I might. Naru, do us all a favor and bring him to meet us all tomorrow when we gather for the Akimichi's BBQ Annual." Brown eyes twinkled. "How long had it been since you had a _guy_ as a date to show to your friends?"

Naru pushed past her with her dresses selected for her in hand; Hinata knew her too well to know what suited her. _I never brought a guy to show off to them._ "Tenten," she said in exasperation, "Itachi is staying with us now because he lost his family at sea." She remembered seeing the sadness in his eyes as the final confirmation tore him inside, but then his face lit up when her dad announced he could live with them if he wanted to.

But if Itachi was going to live with them, he needed a job for himself, though it didn't seem he was interested in anything other than the life she and her mother lived. His actions had helped them if they hadn't been wanted, he had little to no experience...but the passion was there. _I should talk to Mom again, and we can teach him together before he decides it's for him after all._ He had said he was five years her senior, but all he told her was that his love in life had been the sea. Was he a fisherman or something? He didn't approve of global warming, illegal fishermen and threats of man-made pollution.

It was that simple passion that made her feel warm and happy. As well as enjoying his company and the fact he seemed more interested in her than himself. What kind of guys like that existed every day?

 _If Tenten wants to meet him, and if the others do, then I guess I should let him meet them._

The first dress she tried on had a high neck that covered her bust, slimming down to her knees, and the sleeves were short and barely there. The entire fabric was gold, metallic floral lace. It felt kind of constricting. And Hinata? It was knee-length like hers, short-sleeved, but off-the-shoulders. The luster was a dark gray that made her look like rusted metal that starkly contrasted with her natural beauty. Even Tenten made the face.

"What about this?" Hinata asked of the next, which was similar to the other, but sleeveless and a lavender so dark it was almost charcoal. Somehow it made her look matronly, like the mother of the bride. She sighed in disappointment but accepted and scrapped it off.

"Naru, that's sweet!" Tenten noted, sitting on the bench against the wall. "I think he would like that." Hers was blushing, shimmering and scattering with pearls. The bodice ruched, accentuating her breasts comfortably. But it felt like she was going to a birthday party or high school dance.

~o~

Kurama was a frisky one when he was out in the wild, but what did you expect of a little beast that had a family once which was killed - and then one day a kind, loving, ferocious young woman rescued him when his home was ruined? And then it took a load of convincing to her equally fierce mother to let the fox be a part of the family after losing his own...

Itachi made the connection then and there. He and Kurama weren't different after all. "Life is hard," Kakashi noted casually, inhaling the breath of air around them, "but at least we have our moments of paradise every now and then."

 _I agree. Under the sea, it's paradise and hell in parts. Above the surface is no different._ He watched Minato on a rock with Kakashi beside him, who was enjoying his book. "Minato told me about that," he said, as means to start a conversation. "He said that I could give it a try someday soon."

The silver-haired man looked at him with a twinkling eye. "He's right, you know." The Uchiha wondered why the bottom half of his face was covered like that, and when he asked, he got a snicker. "It's nothing that should alarm you, but I have my reasons. If I told you, I'd spoil the surprise." He thought it odd, but if the man didn't want to reveal, then that was fine by him. Kakashi closed the book then, marking his place. "But tell me something, Itachi."

"Like...what?" He felt his blood grow cold.

"Minato confided in me that your family died at sea, except nothing was ever found. But that's not all. I'll gladly accept you as a new member of the family, but I have to wonder: what's your interest in Naru, his daughter?"

If he didn't have to worry about the father himself, he could have sworn one of his friends beside him was more. "I have no malicious intents towards Naru. Simply put, the moment I laid my eyes on her, I knew she was like no girl I ever met - or any human being for that matter," he said, the tension in his body easing. "Where I am from, the moment you lay your eyes on the other, it is meant to be, if you take my meaning. I don't want to cause trouble because everyone has been so good to me...but Naru, I can't even explain how she makes me feel."

Understanding lit up in dark eyes which matched his. "I see..." Kakashi nodded and looked ahead. Itachi followed his gaze in time to see Minato laughing and falling off himself when Kurama whirled around him, the leash wrapping around the man's legs and causing him to lose his balance. Sand burst up and caused a small gold mist to form before it vanished. Both Itachi and Kakashi laughed at the fox's antics. "I wonder why he and Kushina let Naru have that little monster."

Itachi rumbled in his throat. "That's what Minato said."

"And what did he say about what you told me - regarding Naru? I'm not an idiot. You made it clear you like her, but I have some news for you: clearly the family doesn't know you well enough for you to reveal that information so soon. I'd recommend having them get to know you longer than just three days. Or better, maybe giving her a present, or at least doing something for her besides the stunt you pulled today," Kakashi said, eyes crinkling.

"I realize that mistake, but I did it with good reasons." What he never anticipated was the swarms of reporters who learned about what happened and let the word get out to the other people who weren't involved with the "incident" as they put it. _To be called the "naked man who saved the day" - those young girls turning redder than Naru ever did, and some passing out when they saw me._ He wasn't sure he liked that kind of attention.

The other man nodded, opening his book again but not looking down. "So I gathered, but if you plan to do that again, I recommend gathering intel and planning carefully before jumping the gun." He chuckled. "But with that out of the way, you're going to take Naru to the Hyuuga charity, right? I'm crashing myself." Itachi nodded, not at all surprised that the man knew from experience to have an idea what he was thinking. Humans were thought to be unintelligent compared to his kind, but that belief was proven half-wrong. There were humans smarter than others. "Minato might have said yes easily, but fathers are still very protective of their daughters. That's how my boss is. He's a good friend of mine. He's been even more ever since that business with Pain..."

"Oh, yes," Itachi said, remembering the pierced madman. "He and Naru told me." Kakashi sighed, closing both eyes.

"It was a heavy burden on him and Jiraiya. To have a friend turn on them like that for a crazy dream. He came from a town ridden with strife and war, and why would he think to go so far to betray his friends and comrades like this? That's why Minato quit the police force and became a fisherman. I was with Kushina when Pain assaulted her while she was pregnant with Naru. They made it, but he got away." _Until that night._

Minato had once been a man of the law, under Jiraiya whom he considered a father, and regretted nearly being unable to protect his family, cost the lives of his wife and unborn child - Itachi could not imagine how monstrous that was for him. And to know Kakashi was there when it happened...

Why should any human have to suffer? He closed his eyes. He'd be foolish to say he wished that there was no suffering, but deep down, it always would be. "If there is anything I despise," he said to Kakashi, "it is human suffering. But those beneath the sea suffer as much as we do."

"I agree. I know everything in life endures this endless cycle - but we also do what we have to in order to survive." Kakashi then changed the topic as soon as Minato returned to them, hassled and with an overtly excited Kurama at his feet, the leash freed from his legs. "Oi, Minato, how about us three men get ready for the gala in two days?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Naru's father answered merrily, eyes sparkling when they rested on Itachi.

~o~

Things at home had gotten all the more dire, which was why he chose tonight to slip out once more and go to the surface to see if Itachi was there, when the sun was setting, and after what felt like a lifetime of searching, he found his beloved brother. But this time, Sasuke wasn't alone when he did the deed. Shisui wanted to be with him, and who was he to deny his cousin?

Itachi looked positively content as he looked out at the array of setting sun colors on the horizon. He was dressed lightly, more of his toned human legs revealed and his feet dipping into the water, kicking at it playfully. There were no other humans around for the moment. "He looks happy," Shisui whispered to him as they were under the water for the moment, watching the man they both cared about. But as a consequence of his leaving - and Sasuke's own fault on his behalf - their parents were suffering. But Sasuke liked to think himself more.

He wanted to hear how Itachi was doing amongst the humans, knowing his _aniki_ had wanted desperately to share his stories to them. "I don't think we have to worry about how he eats and such," Shisui had said to him on their way here. "If he got lucky, Naru must help him. Itachi won't starve, I know it." Now he chose to poke his head up, cueing Sasuke to do the same, startling Itachi who jerked backwards on the wooden dock. But as soon as he saw them both, his face lit up.

 _"Otouto,_ Shisui!" He crawled on all fours to get closer, then extended one arm, which Sasuke moved upwards into, supporting himself on the wooden end and wrapped one of his own arms around his brother in an awkward embrace. _Oh,_ nii-san, _I have missed you so much._ "I have missed you both so!" Itachi said, reading his mind and quivering. "I have so much to tell you, and I must know how everything is at home!"

Shisui laughed as he reached up to poke his cousin's forehead as his gesture. "You first, cousin." This seemed to make Itachi happy as he immediately launched into the story, situating himself again on the end of the dock, after checking to make sure no one was coming. Coast clear, he proudly elated the tale of the delicious foods he'd eaten, the small but comfortable bed he slept in at the foot of Naru's, Kurama the fox - an animal the girl and her mother rescued some time ago - as well as Minato and Kushina, the mother and father. What surprised him very much was that Itachi expressed great interest in his desires to help mother and daughter preserve the environment. This was Sasuke learning that not all humans were the same after all.

So his brother was living a free human life while he was at home, having everything thrown on him while dealing with his grieving mother and distant, bitter father. Being a future _ningyo_ clan head was very difficult. Somehow he envied Itachi now, but he chose to say nothing. And then Shisui cracked a shining grin by the time Itachi was done regaling his adventures amongst the humans, before the mood quickly turned to somber.

"Itachi, all of this was wonderful, and I wish we were both there to experience it ourselves if possible -" He wrapped one arm around Sasuke's shoulder and pulled him close, making the younger wince and slip out of it. "- but you're not going to like what we have to tell you."

 **Uh oh, what could Shisui and Sasuke have to tell Itachi? :S The suspense, the party, and Itachi meeting more of Naru's friends.**

 **Pain and Orochimaru won't remain in the dark that much longer. But then again, there can't be much for the snake guy to deal with besides his plotting and watching Itachi through that bubble ball of his. But what about Pain...?**


	13. Veil of Starlight

**God I feel like this chapter took me FOREVER. It was important, as I know I said many times, but now you'll see why. Enjoy. :)**

Chapter Thirteen

Veil of Starlight

She and Hinata found perfect dresses, and they parted to their separate homes with the promise. It wasn't even a wedding dress, but she wanted to wait until Itachi could see her like this. It was special, and she knew it. He made it blaringly clear she was beautiful, that she was everything he liked. She was excited for the party at the Hyuuga's Beach House and that he would go with her.

When she got home with what she needed, her dad and Itachi had just gotten back with Kurama, and seemed to have gotten him something to wear. She giggled and slipped past them in the kitchen to hide her dress in her closet. She would make damned sure he wouldn't see it...

While she was in her room, she looked over to where that beautiful shell was beside the mermaid statue from Pervy Sage, on the vanity. Naru still didn't know who had thrown that thing and knocked Gato out, but she wished she could thank them for that, and for leaving the shell as a gift. "I've seen this before," Itachi had said when he took it from her to cradle in both hands. "These are very rare, and in the tales, the _ningyo_ prize them."

He'd hinted that back home, his family also cherished them. Looking into his eyes, she couldn't help but feel a little...disturbed at the lack of sorrow. But when the sun was going down, dinner was eaten, and Itachi was strangely silent which sparked even her parents' concerns. But Itachi put on a smile she knew was fake, and Minato and Kushina could tell as well. And now when he came back, walking into her room and closing the door behind her, it was then that she saw his eyes glazing with unshed tears he was fighting to hold back. Which told her that he'd been trying to be a man and suppress his emotions, but now he seemed to be unable to keep it in anymore. "Itachi, what is it?" _Idiot, you had to ask him that, and you know he misses his family. That also means he gets to move in with you._

"I tried to keep it in...but now it seems I can't," was all he could manage. "My family...I have nowhere to go back to." He trembled and fell forward, but she acted quickly and let herself be his support. She was taken aback since she never saw a guy in her life - except her father a few times - break down like this. Itachi smiled, seemed to love the flow of the universe, but if she'd lost her parents, Pervy Sage, Hinata or any of their friends, she would feel the same.

"I'm..." Naru stopped herself from saying she was sorry. She was not going to say it because it had been used so many times before. They fell to the floor together, on their knees, holding onto each other. Kurama jumped on them both, whimpering and licking at the weeping man's cheek as his means to try and calm him. Itachi let go of her waist and used that hand to come and rub against the animal's back, making Kurama purr now. He continued to cry for a hell of a long time, and she wasn't leaving him like this. She also chose to make the bold and daring decision to let him sleep in her bed that night - without any inappropriate touching, but she didn't have to tell him either. He got the message and kept to his side, though her bed wasn't big enough to keep them separate.

She ended up with her back facing the front of his body, his arm wrapping around her waist to keep her close, and Kurama growled a little, overprotective as ever, but remained at the foot of the bed as he preferred. Somehow this sleeping circumstance didn't bother her. Itachi's arms made her fall asleep that much faster...and that night she dreamed again.

 _The mermaid's tail that saved her from the_ Red Dawn _...black tail with silver fins, and glimmering red highlights..._

 _"...hold on, Naru."_

When she opened her eyes, morning warmed her senses, but then the dream returned, and one important detail came loud and clear: _the mermaid who saved me...they knew my name._ But _how?_ She had been underwater, but she did hear that it spoke to her, except it had sounded like gargle to her. Shaking her head, Naru stretched and sat up. Why was she thinking about this now? And where was Itachi again?

He had a habit now of waking up before her, it seemed. Up sharp as soon as the sun peeked above the horizon, refreshed and doing something, unlike her when she would sleep in after dawn on days off. Today was the Akimichi BBQ Annual, and much of Konoha would be there; tomorrow night none other than the Hyuuga Charity. It was a hell of a busy week.

And what added was that Itachi, her new family addition, was going with her to those things.

Still in her tank and shorts she'd slept in the previous night, she found him outside with her dad. Apparently the car was having trouble in the hood. Looked like Minato planned to head somewhere and had faced a sputter in the engine, or was it the gas? Last she heard, the tank was nearly full. But Naru found herself distracted by the fact that Itachi was _shirtless._ In his pajama pants, ponytail over his muscled back facing her as he bent over to inspect whatever Minato directed him towards. The sight looked so normal as if nothing was ever wrong, like Itachi had always belonged with them.

Itachi was happy being here with them. It made her want to cry. He'd lost his family, but here he was with a new one. Her confusion at his odd behavior, his determination to prove himself to her and Kushina, and everything else was forgotten for the moment when she ultimately decided she really did want him in her life. They had who knew how long to plant the roots, but she didn't want him to leave her. Her parents and Kurama really adored him after knowing him for just a few days, and it seemed Pervy Sage did, too.

She just had to know how the rest of her friends would take meeting the "naked man who saved Konoha's bay"; her cheeks would never stop being victim to such scandalous tongue. If there was anyone to bring that up, it would be Kiba, of course. He could be a jerk and loved talking about things that were best left unspoken.

"You know, Naru, when your dad would fix the car in the morning, he'd have his shirt off - but that was long before you were born," Kushina purred naughtily in her ear. The daughter reeled back, protesting, making both her mother and herself laugh hysterically, eventually drawing the attention of both Minato and Itachi, both chortling from where they were.

When Itachi came inside, he picked up a towel from a kitchen drawer and wiped off the sweat showing on his bare muscles. Naru couldn't take her eyes off him. If she didn't say this enough, she never knew a man in her life who was as sexy and mysterious - and committed - as Itachi Uchiha. So calm, at peace, and eager to help. And how often did she want to meet a guy who enjoyed the same things she did? Taking one of the rice balls her mom made, she tried not to cry when she realized how much she wanted a boyfriend now. She was only twenty, not much younger or older than her parents had been when they had her, and was still single. Nowadays people were smart to wait until financial stability for marriage and children, et cetera, but she wasn't planning that anytime soon. All she was saying was that she wanted someone to love her the way her parents loved each other...

Kushina's delicious rice made her stifle a hiccup at the revelation, on this fourth day of Itachi Uchiha, the man who might as well belong in her dreams, being in her own house.

"Well, guys, we're gonna get ready if we don't want to miss Choza and Choji's opening!" Kushina practically yelled, making the walls shake and poor Kurama retreating from the room in case the structure gave in like an earthquake.

If you wanted to know why Naru chose white when it was barbeque and prized ramen together, she just wanted to be casual and free. Her dress was one-shouldered, breezy crochet lace, with pearl studs in her ears, and around her right ring finger a luminous nautilus shell placed with a freshwater pearl. Itachi was in tight jeans and a white collared shirt over a black t-shirt. Smiling broadly to both corners of his mouth, he offered his hand to her, which showed that ring which symbolized a gallant knight - and it was what he was playing at today.

His lips brushed against her ear as he husked, "You look like a...pearl from an oyster." He had just called her a _pearl._ The symbol of purity and innocence.

Downstairs were her parents waiting, her mom in a white tank and subtly sparkling gray skirt, and Dad in a white shirt like Itachi and matching stretching pants. If she were another person not even blood-related, she would have said how HOT Minato was. Kushina's whistle at Itachi and their daughter together as well as the comment on "what a cute couple, right, Mina-kun?" was enough to make Naru want to bury her face into the shoulder of her "date".

At the Akimichi grill which had a great white tent set with every delicious dish you could think of, everything made Naru's mouth water, and much of these dishes Itachi didn't eat yet but would get his chance. He seemed beyond fascinated by this that his eyes sparkled with stars. Starting with the meats had teriyaki, grilled _yakiniku_ , _yakitori_ chicken, and all sorts of raw fish in terms of sushi and bento platters.

Some people were vegetarians, so it was nice for Akimichi father and son and their staff to provide soybean dishes like _natto._ Present were _onigiri_ balls and bowls from brown to white, as well as porridge; the _zosui_ was composed with meats, eggs, mushrooms, vegetables and different seafood of choice, and added to flavor was either miso or soy to make it saltier and hungry for more.

Heaven's divine, the ramen was supposed to rival her beloved Ichiraku's, but she could never tell any differences between the two. Here was the miso ramen with eggs, fish and pork; the straight _shio_ with chicken, seaweed and fish. Curry was Rock Lee's weakness as it "empowered springtime youth".

All kinds of _wagashi_ treats were also seen for the eyes of those who wanted to just go straight to dessert: dango, _sakuramochi_ \- pink-colored rice cakes filled with red bean paste - _daifuku_ rice cakes also filled with red paste, green tea ice cream, and _uiro_ steamed cakes colored like the shared beloved dumplings between her and Itachi. Everything was so mouth-watering that Choji and his father spared no expense in making sure everyone would be well-fed.

To drink were the seasonal summer wine, green tea, sake, distilled spirit _shochu_ and whisky. The adults would have their fun when the kids were done having theirs. It made Naru wonder how high or low Itachi's alcohol tolerance was. She was going to find out today.

Hinata was there, with her father and sister, all of them in white: she was in a stretching bodice with small off-shoulder sleeves, and the rest of the skirt was eyelit lace; her earrings were dripping, slim crystals. Hiashi was extremely dapper in his all-white, pressed suit - and with Neji matching, they could actually be father and son rather than uncle and nephew - and Hanabi had her brown hair in a bun, complete with a dress of lightly ruched tulle which accentuated her body nicely.

All in all: white was everyone's choice for the day.

Now with everyone settled down at the tables arranged, others on the grassy grounds like a massive family picnic, Naru got to introduce Itachi to her friends. But on the way to bringing him to the bunch, he got whistles from certain women and young girls who nearly passed out at the sight of the sexy, long-haired man - _you mean, "sex on legs"?_

"Hey, guys!" Naru called, seeing the Hyuuga cousins and the others gathered. "I want you all to meet Itachi - and Kiba, keep your tongue closed for once and Akamaru from sniffing at his ass if he feels like it," she warned at the mischievous glint in Inuzuka's eyes as he recognized what her housemate had been known as in the news. Now his face fell as his cheeks turned red as peppers, and his white beast growled, but not menacing Itachi who looked at her with a raised eyebrow at the word she just used. He didn't know what "ass" meant! _Oh, brother...he's never sworn before, has he? I called him an asshole once, and he didn't respond. They must have also been conservative with their speaking. But if I am gonna teach him these words, he's gotta learn his boundaries as well._

"Aww," Kiba whined, shoulders slumping. "I really wanna know some dirty secrets that he wouldn't even tell ya, Naru!" She growled at him through her teeth, then leaned up and harshly but sweetly whispered into his ear.

"Shut up, dog boy, or I'll get the belt."

Shikamaru cracked a lazy laugh and reclined lazily on the grass, looking up at the clear skies. "She got you, Kiba. And nice to meet you," he said to Itachi. "Shikamaru."

One by one, the rest introduced themselves after. "Tenten has been wanting to meet you most of all," Naru had to say, making the brunette flustered and the guys laughing. "And this is Rock Lee, the most energetic of us all." To emphasize, Bushy Brows - her special nickname for him because it was unique as he was - jumped up and pumped his fists here and there, which Itachi found amusing. "And Shino Aburame...whose family helps me and Mom monitor activity in the wild." She winced when she mentioned this, and hinted what everyone was still talking about, which the Aburame was keen on even with his shades and the bottom half of his face still covered while in white.

"Why, you ask? The Uzumakis are not like any of us around, and the reason is because they inspire. Sometimes we're cautious about doing the right thing, and they push us. We're always happy to provide."

Itachi's eyes lit up as he relished this piece of info. "Well, since you have said that, you are all lucky to have Naru as a friend -" His arm came to wrap around her waist and pull her closer to him. "- and I'm luckier than I imagined to now be a part of her family as I look forward to getting to know every one of you." They all looked happy even as Neji announced himself. He had purposefully let himself be last.

"Neji Hyuuga, Hinata's cousin." He extended his hand as if Itachi were another businessman he was meeting. "Pleasure to welcome you amongst us."

"As am I, Neji," Itachi replied courteously.

 _Well, this is going better than I thought, but who knows how long Kiba can keep his yap quiet. And what did he say about me and the family...?_

 _"I'm luckier than I imagined to now be a part of her family."_

Naru Uzumaki didn't have to say it, but she was luckier herself to have him around her day and night.

~o~

 _"Itachi, all of this was wonderful, and I wish we were both there to experience it ourselves if possible...but you're not going to like what we have to tell you."_

He should have expected that this would happen. He tried to push aside that his decision brought this on his family; he didn't regret loving Naru and trading everything he once had to live on land with her. He thought today, meeting the rest of her friends and enjoying new foods he never tried - he officially decided that red meat of any kind wasn't for him, simply because killing an animal that wasn't a fish wasn't acceptable, as well as the fact too much red meat could increase medical conditions known as heart disease and cancer - would make him feel happier, but it never would. The word selfish kept coming back to his mind. He tried to hide it from Naru, but she read through him, and he could only tell her as much as he could by masquerading that his family was gone forever at sea.

In a sense, it WAS true, when Shisui and Sasuke told him that Fugaku had all but stepped down and locked himself away, pushing Sasuke already on the throne, but that wasn't the worse of it: _Mother is dying._

Itachi ended up sleeping in Naru's bed that night, which comforted him and didn't seem to unnerve her, for once. Did that mean she was beginning to warm up to him? It made him feel happy that hope was increasing, and he only had four days left - well, three, with today being a new day. It was such fun to be around people the Uzumakis had known all their lives. This was nothing compared to home. Now that he thought of it, it was more than the traditional celebrations of the merfolk that he had known all his life, which he now began to view as...boring.

 _You damned fool, your mother..._ His mother was dying of a broken heart because of him. When merpeople died, their bodies became algae parts of the sea. Over time the decomposition would evolve into a new form of coral. If she passed on, he would never be there. He would live with the guilt for the rest of his life. He could live with many things, but his mother...

 _Mother, you're suffering because of me. Everyone will miss me because I was supposed to take over after Father - all except you, Sasuke and Shisui. If only the three of you could take human form and live the way I am. You'd be happier. You'd love Naru, her family and friends._

Shisui then stood up for him. _"If there was a way to get her away from Fugaku, just to see you and see that you are happy, if we could get her to understand. It's likely she might not make it if we leave her like this...but it also means she will want you to come home."_

Which complicated things all the more. Itachi was too deep to turn back. He loved Naru, and if he could just convince Mikoto that he was happy, that he knew it was something she always wanted for her eldest son as much as the younger...but to be with a _human_ would push the boundaries. But she had always been understanding and encouraging. Itachi decided his answer that night, but the following night VERY late would be the meeting. It was two days before his week's expiration, and had to be it.

He got to learn each of Naru's friends by observation without difficulty. Shikamaru Nara was one of Minato's crewman, being one of the youngest, and was prone to do little work yet managed to get away with it. However, he often had the best and brightest ideas. His preferred quote over anything bothersome: "What a drag."

Kiba Inuzuka - he believed Naru when she called him out with his wagging tongue. He was more impulsive than his friends, and his dog Akamaru followed where his master went. The white beast was bigger and rougher than Kurama, perhaps. Shino Aburame, who was quiet and collected, was a stand-out with those black things covering his eyes as well as his mouth "gagged" at all times. And Naru said his family collaborated with her mother's team and watched the grid which was their town and everything it depended on - just like they caught the activity in the bay. He even congratulated Itachi on his "bold act" which nearly set the group laughing off their legs.

Tenten was the one who appeared to be more...inquisitive about him, as she could not keep her eyes off him. Her cheeks were a faint shade of pink, but she wasn't anything like those human reporters.

Rock Lee, on the other hand, was a boisterous case, going on about "the power of friendship and springtime youth!" When he shook Itachi's hand, it was hard and made the Uchiha almost shake off his feet. "You are one of my new friends now, Itachi-san! Welcome to the club!"

He had nothing to say about Hinata Hyuuga, since he already knew her well, but her cousin Neji was another matter. Both the same age, both fathers were brothers, though Neji's passed on when he was still a boy, prompting him to become more serious and mature for his age, joining the family business to prove his worth. It seemed humans took more than merpeople to show their capability, even breaking their bones and eventually dying in the process.

But he did welcome Itachi without trouble, even going far to say his uncle would love to meet him at the charity tomorrow night.

By late afternoon, everyone's bellies were full - himself included - and everyone was leaving but saying good-bye and thanking for coming, especially the Akimichi father and son. He had never enjoyed food as much as he did today - with the exception of red meat. Although he wondered if his mother, Sasuke and Shisui would have been interested.

"I don't understand why red meat is a problem, Itachi," Kushina told him with a slight frown as she was behind the wheel of the family car. "Although some people are vegetarians, but you eat fish. I suppose I can understand why regarding health issues," she added with a slight smile. "And Minato, does this mean you plan to take him out like you promised?"

"I certainly do. I'm so excited I can't wait anymore," her husband answered proudly. "Itachi gets to finally see the _Yellow Flash_ in person."

Which was where he soon found himself standing, docked and roped, and the hull painted dark yellow which its owner explained should have been as bright as the sun - and his own hair, if he said so himself. "We won't go out again for a few more days to catch some more yellowtails in season," Minato was saying as he began climbing the ladder, Itachi following, excitement in his system. "But what we do is haul the catch in nets, using proper bait, and we freeze it until we make port. When our terms are done after days, weeks of fishing, it's a two-week break until we go back out to work again. I'm captain of this big guy." He laughed and ran a hand through his hair when they landed on the wooden deck.

Itachi was enraptured by the different stations he saw, one of which he saw was a booth that controlled the fishing net and lines, and there was another a deck higher that steered the vessel at will. "No whales, you said before?"

"Not at all. Certain species of whales are in danger of extinction because of man," he answered with a frown. "Which is what Kushina hates among many. I banned it from my deck just to make her happy, but that wasn't the only reason. I personally hate endangering any aquatic or land species like that."

 _And that is why I find you an honorable man, Minato._

~o~

Itachi enjoyed being on her father's ship, he told her when they got back. "When your father goes out again, you and I should go aboard together and spend the time with him," he suggested. "We could sail the waters with him, catch the fish with him, anything you would want..."

She laughed and tapped his cheek. She had been on her dad's vessel a few times when she was younger, when he took her and her mother away from home, because Kushina wanted to be out on personal assignment, and for their daughter to learn about the different kinds of fish that were caught and processed. To know Itachi learned all of this even when the _Yellow Flash_ wasn't in action made her happy that he supported what supported her family and the others' working for him.

"Maybe we can, if Dad wants us to."

He surprised her once more. "But he did agree. He said, quote, 'I haven't taken Naru and Kushina out with me since she was fourteen when she started being around her friends more than with her parents. But they all have to grow up eventually, and it always hurts.' I had to assure him that everything is natural...just like falling in love is part of the cycle," he said, a sparkle in his eyes that made her bite her bottom lip.

 _Falling in love..._

She couldn't stop thinking about that, not even tonight as the sky darkened. The rich, delicate colors turned into royal blue and midnight black. Naru was at her vanity, alone with Kushina as her mother helped her get ready. She hadn't asked her mother's help in forever. Kushina was in a black dress that touched the floor, with thin straps and sleeves that pushed off the shoulders. An intricate headband rested on her crown, resembling a vine of leaves to match the little belt around her waist, and myrtle-shaped crystals suspended in her ears.

Naru's hair...it was fashioned into a loose, slightly messy braid down her back, the end closed by a brass blossom centered with a pearl and spraying crystals. Her ears dripped with small, peachy-toned stones on posts. She gave a smile at herself and then picked up the ring to put on her middle right finger. It was a piece of art, resembling something that came from under the sea: swirls of gold and silver, placed with shimmering blue stones.

"Girl, you're gonna have broken hearts again - and maybe Itachi will really fall off his feet when he sees you!" Kushina gushed again, never tired of her dating service attempts. Naru could not resist rolling her eyes as she stood up and looked over herself in this dress she picked out with Hinata, as well as the shoes she always had but never wore unless to formal events. It was maybe the only fancy pair she owned besides her sandals and boots in the closet. Her dress was blushing and with long, flaring sleeves, a modest neckline, knee-length, and covered head-to-toe with beaded flowers. Her tanned legs showed off nicely, ending with the champagne satin wedges which were criss-crossed with crystal-studded straps.

The bedroom door was knocked on, followed by Itachi calling to ask if they were ready. "More than ready!" Kushina said energetically, opening the door to let him walk in - and his jaw literally dropped to the floor. That expression might have been overused, but it was true. Minato's as well.

On the way to the car, Naru had missed the way Itachi and her father glanced knowingly at each other. And out of her range of vision, Kushina spotted it head on before her eyes twinkled at a hint. None of them were keen on revealing to her what the secret was.

The Hyuuga property was absolutely packed, by the looks of it. The squared blocks of the house each had a great pane of glass to show the entire room and activity, and it was maybe over a hundred count of guests. Half of them were already down at the swimming pool which was bright and blue, surrounded with stoned slabs standing upright and greenery, lit with paper lanterns on the ground. Handmade waterproof lotuses with candles inside drifted about in the pool. The lawns were lush and green. There were some tables around, enough to accommodate all the attendees, with several strings of more lanterns hung overhead. On every table was an arrangement of a bamboo dish filled with stalks of the name, orange lilies, red roses and ginger, and green orchids. "My, Hiashi has outdone himself," Itachi mused. He was in a red collared shirt and pressed dark pants, and oh, man, was he sex on legs. She couldn't deny it any longer. Five days with him, and he really rubbed off. She was going to take the risk now and ignore it no more.

Itachi really made her blood boil enough to bubble the flesh covering it.

"Minato, Kushina," the host himself said as he happened to be wandering about himself, greeting his guests personally and smiling briefly before going back to serious. Hiashi Hyuuga wasn't the kind of man to let personal get in the way, but who really knew behind closed doors. "And Naru, it is very good to see you...and I presume this is Itachi." His pearlescent eyes narrowed a fraction as they took in the "naked man" who helped save the bay. "Not quite what I expected to see. If you were not with Naru at the present, I would say that you are suitable for Hinata."

 _Oh, no, old man, you didn't just imply you want your daughter to be married off. Anything to get rid of her, huh?_ But if she so much as said that, she'd be thrown off his property without hesitation. "You're right, Hyuuga-san," she answered instead, proudly and holding Itachi's hand in her own. "Itachi is with me, but I agree when I say Hinata needs a good man herself."

He chuckled. "Well, I won't keep you waiting, but I wish to thank you and your mother for your efforts - and you couldn't have done it without this young man here?" he inquired. "I look forward to making the toast to the honor of the three of you." His eyes shimmered with mischief.

"Minato, if your girl decides to tie the knot as I am certain she is of age for such things, then you must be fond enough of this man to accept him as your son-in-law."

She needed to get away from him fast, and Itachi seemed to read her. "Well, it's charming to meet you, Hyuuga-san, but I must politely excuse myself to enjoy this marvelous event with this wonderful woman, and to meet the incredible people you invited," he stated, which stunned her parents at his collection and pleased Hiashi who ushered them in enthusiastically. _Saved by the bells - and by you, Itachi._

After saying hi to those they passed by, the pair arrived in the kitchen where the Hyuuga sisters were organizing the drinks for the guests as well as the gourmet. Her best friend was smiling and greeting everyone like a gracious hostess; she could very much be an event planner on her own. She chose yet another sequined special, only it utterly flattered her better than last time: the sparkle was white-silver, all over from the high-necked halter to the mid-thigh skirt. In her ears were two oval-formed vines of crystals, showed off when her hair was pulled up and held by a few star-shaped crystal pins.

"Oh, _aneki,_ the ramen-lover herself has showed up with her date," Hanabi noted. Her dress was a rich rusty satin with a high neck and lightly ruffled skirt that ended at her knees, and her hair in a simple ponytail, showing off dripping pearls and crystals in three stations. "And Itachi Uchiha - I know just the thing to get you and Naru since you two are a really cute pair that could make the front cover like your story two days ago -"

"Hanabi," her sister hissed for them. "If Father hears -" Hanabi laughed with a little bark.

"Like _Otou-san_ does much of anything to me, elder sister. I can have a little fun every now and then, and I am next in line to business." Naru narrowed her eyes. _Unlikely. Neji could show he's more capable than you, with your behavior._ She offered a tropical drink made of mangoes, pomegranate extract as well as sparkling soda, which she took with a thanks and nodded.

"You're gonna love this now, Itachi," she said, giving him his. She watched as he took a sip of it and then moan with delight. A waiter came their way then, offering a plate of sushi which she took two, offering one to him. They were both made of shrimp and seaweed around avocado and cucumber, which was vegetarian divine.

Itachi swallowed his in a gulp, gracefully. "I would love to take a walk outside when we are finished. I have something to give you that I felt tonight would be appropriate."

Naru felt her blood run cold. If he wanted them both alone, did that mean what she thought it was? Did he mean to...? "I'm not sure it's a good idea," she said softly. "Mom and Dad could look for us, they could have your head if you try anything..."

"Oh, don't fear." He put a finger to her lips, silencing her and making her lips tingle. "It's something that I specially thought of just for you. It's nothing too bold, I hope." He let his finger drop, and she relaxed. Why the hell did she think he would take advantage of her after everything they did together in barely a week? When he made it loud and clear he wanted to make her happy? It made her wonder what it could be now...

They were now through the side of the house, in the tranquil garden hidden by wooden panels, _pachira_ trees which were said to be good luck, bamboo and river rocks, moss and succulents. It was very calm and beautiful. One of the panels had a round hole that showed a portion of the ocean lapping on the sandy shoreline. Just the two of them with the opportunity to look out at the sea. She put her drink down on the bench and his so he could put his hand into his pocket and take out whatever it was he'd gotten. "Whatever is it - oh!" He held up what looked like a seashell of gold - a _clam._ It was a piece of magic he was holding out to her.

"Open it."

Naru opened it to see a small oval also of gold, inlaid with mother-of-pearl, the center placed with crystals to form a flower of sparkling fire - a locket. She gasped in utter shock. It was so much she thought she was going to pass out at the thought of him giving her something to place his face inside, to rest over her heart and cause it to beat with knowing he was there.

Itachi's real face came so close to her that she nearly dropped this precious treasure. "Here." He took the charm from its oceanic case and held it opened by its chain, draping it over her head to adjust it over where she imagined it would be. "Even if I wound up not being with you, you can keep this on your being at all times."

Naru had no time to respond before his mouth descended on hers, setting off a fiery chain reaction that cut off her rational thinking, except one.

A kiss - a _romantic_ kiss - and witnessed by a canvas of starlight and a piece of the beach on the Hyuuga property? A magical, dreamy cliché come alive.

 **I remember first learning Itachi HATED steak, and couldn't understand why since I myself am a steak eater. XD**

 **When I decided to have Minato show Itachi his ship, I went back to reading about factory ships, which is what the Yellow Flash is, and I found different types but found myself wondering which it was: either a purse seiner or a stern trawler. Both catch any species of fish, even tuna, but stern trawlers are gone for days or weeks at a time whilst purse seiners trip for twenty to seventy days depending on the kind of fish.**

 **So, yeps, Itachi and Naru finally kiss - and what better than in a zen garden under starlight?**


	14. Merman's Tears

**Good God, today was my dad's birthday, tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I am excited. I got this in time before that day. I feel the climax approaching in a few chapters maybe. :D**

 **The first kiss finally happened last time, so now let's see what happens in here...**

Chapter Fourteen

Merman's Tears

When he kissed her, his heart burst to life. It was the most beautiful feeling he ever had. It was far more magnificent than just kissing her temple or her cheek even. They were chaste compared to this.

Naru was divine. She was his link to complete the circle.

She was his universe.

That necklace...when he spotted it, Minato could not say no to this treasure. Merfolk who mated gave gifts from the sea to each other before the final coupling of the ritual. He told the father of the woman he loved that his people would do this for the ones they genuinely cared for. First sight is infinite, the one you know in front of you for life - and if another tried to take them apart, you fight with your last breath.

When he was finished speaking, Minato's eyes glazed.

Kushina was let in as well, and she let him carry on the plan easily! It thrilled Itachi to know that they were both encouraging him. And tonight - it was fun and different from the previous events. Everyone dressed even more finely than before. Hiashi Hyuuga - he seemed...decent. His facial expressions made him think about his own father - but what made him equally happy was that he recognized him and even went far to make a joke about setting him up with his own daughter, Hinata. Thank Naru for rescuing him, even though it was just banter.

Hinata and her younger sister, Hanabi, were the ones to make the marvelous drinks he and his lady had. This party - it was meant to raise money for the business, but it was also for everyone to enjoy each other's company. Both of Hiashi's daughters were marvelous hostesses - although he could tell that Hanabi was a bit of a troublemaker unlike her sister. He wondered why in heaven's name her father considered her better than Hinata.

This was his chance to be alone with Naru to give her the locket. Such things existed beneath the sea, but you didn't find them every day. Most of the times, humans lost them, and their name came in when there was a small lock without trouble, and inside you found the face of the one most treasured to you. Seeing this one with Minato's help, and he knew it was for Naru.

When he broke the kiss, he noted how her lips became dark and swollen, almost as pink as her cheeks were now. This was all he needed to know that she started to fall under his spell.

"Itachi...I..." She never got to finish when a voice called after them, and it was none other than Hanabi, which made her a little annoyed. "Oh, the little rat. It's like her to interrupt a good moment like this."

 _Good moment..._

"Don't worry about us, Hanabi," he called calmly and sweetly to the girl who poked her head around the corner, eyes twinkling. "There is nothing worth worrying over on your father's property. We will join." That was enough for her, for she was gone in seconds.

Naru looked up at him, unable to speak, and the locket shining around her neck. He just hoped she would never take it off. At home, a gift like that was meant to be treasured always and never removed for any reason. Itachi leaned down again to kiss her, but it lasted maybe a second. Tonight had been nothing short of magical for him - but tomorrow, what would she tell him?

The rest of the evening regarded Hiashi gathering everyone for a toast to the success, and a thanks to Kushina and her daughter - and him - for what they did only a couple days ago, and the people cheered them. Itachi felt utterly pleased, even more with Naru right beside him, gazing up at him with pure admiration. He was aware her parents and others were also watching him the same way, but nothing mattered except her.

If there was anything else that mattered in life, none of it would be worthwhile without _her._

When the festivity was over, Naru couldn't stop looking at him in the back of the car - and then she reached and took his hand into hers! His skin was on fire because of her and no one else.

"Oh, these things - I keep forgetting how fun but so tiring they are!" Kushina yawned, covering her mouth with her hand. Minato chuckled and parked the car, all of them getting out. Inside, Kurama barked and whimpered, wagging his tail and jumping on them all, whining and begging for attention. The little beast really loved his company more than day one. He licked Itachi's face like there was no tomorrow, and he considered him part of the family now.

He was excited and nervous about tomorrow. After that would be the final day. _Maybe she'll finally say she loves me, but if she doesn't make the first move, it's up to me._

This was also his chance to head down to the dock as promised. The hour wasn't that late, but Shisui and Sasuke - and his mother - were waiting for him. Both his brother and cousin were smiling and waved at him, but to see Mikoto after all this time...

She was able to swim, but she was held in place by her youngest son. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw her eldest with _human legs._ Those irises deepened with sorrow, knowing how this happened. "Itachi..." she whispered in despair. "All this time...for a _human_? That human you saved? And dealing with that _monster_." It was a terrible leap to mention Orochimaru, and her heart seemed to break even more. She lowered her face and wept breathlessly.

"Yes, Mother," he answered, bowing his head as a sign of shame, but while he regretted immensely the pain he put her through... "But I love her, and I have utter faith that this sacrifice I made was worth it. I love her the same way that I know you loved Father." _Even when you knew what kind of man he was._

Tears fell down her cheeks and hit the water. "...I already knew, Itachi," she whispered, then disengaged herself to swim towards the wood where he was now sitting. She folded her arms beneath herself to use as a pillow for her head. "But, angel, will you promise me something?"

"Anything, Mother," he answered, leaning over and putting both his hands on hers. He'd missed her so much that he didn't want to leave her alone. He wished she could be here on shore just so she could meet Naru, see that she had every right to believe he'd made the right choice...

"Just never forget us, and if you know you must...tell her the truth."

~o~

Days in Konoha, laying low and disguising himself as a simple worker in the fish processing factories on land, and this was what he had been reduced to. Konan was the same, and neither of them were in the best of moods, although she took it much more calmly than he for both their sakes.

His crew: gone. They came for a portion of what he promised them, and yet they were sacrificed for the punishment of legend in catching the beast.

His ship: at the bottom of the ocean. They had gotten so close to turning that damned half-fish into food for them, but the storm unexpectedly wrecked their ship. He wasn't surprised that Jiraiya, Minato and others had caught on but never found him. And from what he heard, their girl was safe and sound. He considered taking her at first opportunity, but each time he saw her, she was surrounded with those friends of hers, then her parents - and this young man with long black hair tied behind his head. Was he her boyfriend or something? Pain never saw him before, but something in his gut insisted he not do something he would regret.

The greatest regret was taking Naru in the first place. It was all on him, but it did get him and his men what they wanted - only for it all to be over as told in the stories. But perhaps it could still work if he and Konan went out in the waters on their own to fish out the location, but after the incident a week ago, it seemed unlikely. But at least they knew the spot.

Only Konan seemed more...hesitant now. He was furious; was she considering backing out after all they had endured over the years?

He considered asking her this while they were on the waters during an early afternoon, on a fishing craft that he had to kill its previous owner to acquire for them. But before he could do that, something burst from the water and offered a wriggling yellowtail snapper in their direction. Konan gasped and held onto the railing as she looked at the gray-white, marble arm that raised itself over the edge of the deck. The fish was dropped there, and then it was followed by a HUNDRED others. "Yahiko, what is going on?!"

He never answered her because another had - charming and slithering. "It's a gift I thought I would grab from my end, before you refuse what I have to offer you...Pain." A head appeared over the deck, and a body hoisted itself to sit upright as a pair of slitted yellow eyes glittered within an angular, pale face framed by long, wet black hair, and the lower body a dark gray tailfin, the flaps and spikes along the back of the being's spine lighter silver, and the highlights of the scales purple. Pain's breath hitched.

 _A_ ningyo _\- I know it is. But this one is a combination of human and the legends...I never thought I would see one different than the one the crew snatched before its demise._

And it spoke...it said it had something to offer him. He was tempted to accept, but he had to know - "Who are you, and what would be in it for us?" Konan stayed beside him, narrowing her eyes as she also believed this too good to be true.

The being chuckled and crawled further on deck, still upright, thin-lipped smile unsettling to any lesser being, but he wasn't intimidated. "We both want the same thing, my friend - Yahiko. Oh, I know everything about you, and what your deepest desires are..."

"Yahiko," Konan hissed into his ear. "I don't feel right about this. It sounds too easy to accept. No creature of myth would willingly give what they have to a mortal without a price." Pain looked at her from the corner of his eye, considering this with care. He did agree with her, but he was also positive the payment would be worth it.

"I assure you, my dear, I have my ways to make the dream a reality. I have conducted means beneath the waters that my people considered 'unorthodox', but someday they will be a great breakthrough to humanity," the snake-like being told her, that smile never leaving. "The girl you sought as bait - I have been watching her as well, but she is not the only burden in your way. Surely you have seen a certain handsome young man in her presence..." _Yes, the lad. But how important is he to you?_

Naru Uzumaki and those in her life were all in his way, so could this boy this creature was talking about be another obstacle? He would love nothing more than to eliminate them both if push came to shove. "If you offer me what I seek, what do you wish in return?"

The smile could very much be called permanent. The being slid backwards until he reached the edge of the deck, but he and Konan acted on impulse and rushed his way, desperate to not let it get away before they got what they spilled blood, sweat and tears for. "Oh, don't worry, I will hold my end of the bargain, but today is not the day. Tomorrow would suffice," the merman promised, his body all the way out, but he held onto the bars of the railing. "By sunset. That is when my plan will be in motion, and you will get what you seek." Yellow eyes glittered again.

"I shall meet you on these waters by then." With that, he released the bars and splashed back into the sea. With a furious shout, Pain threw himself forward and stared at the spreading rings in the waters where the creature disappeared. He was even more frustrated that he had to wait another day, but tried to assure himself that it would come.

He didn't even know that monster, but its velvety tongue somehow assured him that the promise would be kept - except Konan remained ever skeptical.

"I don't like this, Yahiko."

He sighed and put his hand atop hers when it rested on his arm. "Neither do I, but the chance has come. We will not let it be for nothing." And when he got that power, he would start with this town that tried to stop him, and then move back out to the other lands, saving home for last.

~o~

 _"Here. Even if I wound up not being with you, you can keep this on your being at all times."_

She wasn't able to stop thinking about that kiss - so sudden, so trusting, tender...and she even _dreamed_ about it. She couldn't think about anything throughout the morning that even Kushina had actually _boxed_ her in the head to get her to pay attention in the kitchen!

Poor Minato's face when he watched the scene at the table. And Itachi was there, too, and that glitter in his eyes - it was as if he was happy with what he knew he did to her. But he didn't yet speak to her about it. In fact, neither of them talked about it since last night. _I think we don't know how to. I want to ask Mom -_ She flinched and rubbed the spot in the back of her head where it was still throbbing. _\- ow, after I put an ice pack and heal my head._

This was also the first time Itachi really saw a punch like that directed from mother to daughter - and it was also Naru's first time seeing him look troubled by such an action.

"Well, I'm going to meet up with Kakashi and Jiraiya for lunch. Guys to guys," Minato joked, kissing his wife and daughter each on the cheek, then turning to give Itachi a wink. He was really the most trusting dad ever!

Naru watched him go while reaching to finger the locket still around her neck. It was still new, so she didn't get the chance to put Itachi's picture in it. Her mind was still fuzzy after last night, except it was also even more crystal clear than it ever was. But was this really what love felt like at her age? Somehow it was the same when you were a teenager. That was why she wanted to talk to her mother.

Itachi left them alone then, announcing he would go to the living room to enjoy a movie, but now that she was alone, Naru felt her face turn red a hundred times more. "Oh, Naru, I know that look on your face anytime," Kushina told her, gently patting the place where she'd struck her, making her flinch harder at the throb and making her mother _tsk_. "Come on, admit it: you're in love with him. Why else would you not take that thing off?"

"I just don't know what to do, Mom," Naru said, reaching to finger it. "He's...he is the first guy to treat me like this. How long has it been - almost a week?" _Yet it didn't even feel like that..._

"And then the same night, he kisses you like in a classic love story," Kushina told her, eyes flashing. "He was much braver than your father was with me. I remember when he left me those flowers the day he tried to tell me he had feelings for me. Didn't have it in him to say those three words the way a girl would expect. "

The delicate pink Asiatic lilies, romantic red roses and lemon leaves? Who could forget a gesture that had been done through the ages? "Yeah, but Itachi did something that's not typical," she answered, looking in the direction he'd gone, where she heard a movie playing, and from the little bit, she recognized it as _Titanic - oh, gods, he's in for tears with that one._

"Then that means he won't admit it so soon, but he feels something for you. It was his way of showing it without words. It's hard today to know love staring you in the face, even in a week's time, a month - it doesn't matter. It comes in every form."

Naru rolled her eyes. "You sound cliché, Mama." She hardly used that title since she was a kid. Kushina returned the eye roll.

"Cliché does mean traditional and nothing new, meaning it will NEVER change."

Which meant that her mom might be right that Itachi was too afraid to tell her he was in love with her. Her heart started to beat, but it was mostly out of anxiety, with a _small_ hint of a little girl's enthralled innocence. How was she going to explain this to him? As far as she was concerned, she wanted to tread these waters carefully before going too deep.

~o~

The movie was a distraction from last night, but even then - in sleep, in waking hours and now - he could never stop thinking about his mother's words.

 _"Just never forget us, and if you know you must...tell her the truth."_

 _Easier said than done, Mother._

How could he tell Naru he was really a merman - and what was more, the only way he got to be on land with her was based on a deal with a devil of the sea? She might as well reject him, break his heart and send him back into the monster's clutches, and all had been for nothing. Tomorrow was the last day, so that would be his chance. If he told her that he both loved her and sacrificed his tail - and his soul - to be with her, then would that make it better?

His racing mind was at ease when _she_ came to sit beside him and watch the movie that he picked. She had said it was one of the greatest love stories ever told, inspired by the true events of the doomed _Titanic_ which was still at the bottom of the ocean, taking fifteen hundred people down with it. But what was central was the young lovers from different worlds - a rich girl and poor boy - whose passionate affair became a race for survival.

It amazed Itachi that the poor little wealthy girl never thought the world could be so much more than the one she'd grown up in. And if she hadn't broken free from the binds of society, she never would have found her identity and died with her accomplishments - and then reunited with her lover in the afterlife, and the others who perished aboard the luxury ship.

Itachi closed his eyes, but even that didn't stop the flood of tears and throbbing in his throat. The story was...beautifully sad. His heart had been full only to be broken by the end. But Naru told him, through tears of her own, that the heart was never broken that easily. Nothing in life ever had one direction...

...and did that mean...

 _No. Don't think about her like this. I can tell her, today or tomorrow..._

He didn't realize he had stood up from the couch and began running, out the door and for the dock again. He fell to his knees and bowed over the edge, his tears returning and falling into the water as he began to sing again in his home tongue.

 _You are not bound to loss and silence,_

 _For you are not bound to the circles of this world._

 _All things must pass away,_

 _All life is doomed to fade..._

 _Sorrowing you must go,_

 _and yet you are not without hope._

"You know, you coming down here just to sing makes me think about those movies," Naru called after him, laughing. "I never saw anyone worked up over a dumb TV image in a long time. You're really something, Itachi Uchiha."

Laughing, swallowing his sobs and accepting tissues from her, Itachi wiped his face and crumpled them. "I'm sorry, Naru. Males shouldn't shed tears - but that picture...I never knew love could be broken that easily." _With Rose letting go of her lover's hand and letting him sink to the bottom of the ocean where the ship is, then to go on with her life as he made her promise, so that one day she would throw in the blue diamond shaped like a heart into the same ocean spot...and then to reunite with him years later into the next life._

 _True love really does succeed in different forms._

Naru was leaning up to him, her mouth close enough to kiss him, her sweet breath on his skin. "I don't think it's broken as easily as most think these days. My mom and dad are an example. Love takes a lot of work, and it's usually worth it in the end."

"Naru, I -"

He was interrupted harshly by a splash of water on them both, followed by the dock shaking, and it wasn't long before they were both falling into the water.

 _Now, who did that? Sasuke, Shisui - neither of you -!_ He threw his head up and gasped for air. Sometimes he missed being a merman, and he could have shown her his world...

Naru screeched after she brought her head up to the surface. "Damn it, who could have done that?!" she yelped, looking up at him. She shook her head and splashed water drops onto his face.

"I wish I knew!" he responded, and they both shared a laugh, both supporting themselves onto each other, but then he clumsily found his way underwater; she had pulled them both down. He panicked. What was she doing, trying to drown them now?

But he could see her as clearly as he saw her above the surface. Her long golden hair was flaring out behind her as she looked at him with a grin. This seemed like fun to her now. Well, he was going to humor her by reaching behind him and pulling his hair from its tie so she could see him like this, too. And a kiss underwater? He was happy to lay one on her, but she read his mind and leaned forward to do just that to him, unable to speak words, but the action was enough.

What neither saw were the eel-like and red-tailed forms of two certain hybrids that served the one he bargained with to get into the arms of this woman laying her lips on his.

~o~

He had been watching them all this time, enthused by the show but also disgusted. To know that the human heart was so fragile, easily severed. Merfolk were singlehandedly glued to their own kind since the centuries past, and only a few ever fell in love with a human...but in each case, it never ended well.

"Itachi Uchiha, you truly are a fool. You thought that it would end as your delicate heart believes. Well, tomorrow is the day it all ends for you." _And with help of that foolish human who thinks that he can have my power without thinking that I have the upper hand - he should have accepted with the last incident that it isn't meant for him..._

 _But I am impressed humans can persevere as we can._

Chuckling, Orochimaru entertained himself as he watched Sakon/Ukon and Tayuya shake the deck to prevent the declaration of love. He always knew that the human wouldn't be able to profess as easily as Itachi would. He looked forward for tomorrow at sundown...

In the entrance of his lair, the poor, unfortunate souls continued to wail their despair, pleading for help that never came. By the sunset, Itachi would join them for the final step.

 **The song Itachi sung on the dock (a second time he does this, as it became a favorite thing of his) was "Breath of Life" from the soundtrack of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. It was the moment when Aragorn is washed ashore and on the brink of death...but his star-crossed love Arwen the elf princess breathes life back into him even from far away. This is the English translation.**

 **I rewatched Titanic recently, and it still gets me after all these years - and I even own a replica of the Heart of the Ocean diamond. :') To imagine that Itachi would break down seeing it just as he tries to think about how he should tell Naru he loves her...**


	15. Deep Sea Voyage

**Don't know how many of you know this, but Crispin Freeman (English voice of Itachi) once sang in an Italian musical on Broadway, "La Boheme", and some clips of him doing a bit in front of a panel are on YouTube. My God, when I heard that man...something inside my body burst. (heart-filled eyes) He was just as wonderful as Hideo Ishikawa with "Kotonoba".**

 **Hope Thanksgiving was fun. :) It sure was for me and the family.**

Chapter Fifteen

Deep Sea Voyage

"My God, you are both wet as cats in the rain!" Kushina scolded when they both came back indoors. "What happened to you?"

"You won't believe it, Mom, but the deck shook and sent us into the water," Naru answered, going over to pick a dry towel from the drawer. _What the hell happened, anyway? It was like someone was underwater and purposefully pulled us in..._

 _...but oh, man, it was also fun. The kiss underwater..._

There was a harsh slap on a surface. Kushina had slapped the counter behind her. "Naru Uzumaki, I suggest you go and dry yourself off, then come and clean this mess you are leaving on my floors!" she screeched. "And Itachi, you, too!" God, it was just like Mama Kushina to let loose her wrath after such a great moment outside. No problem; Naru had a plan to take Itachi out to the beach today, since Hinata said she wanted to be there.

"Oh, Naru?" Kushina called just as she was leaving, in midst of drying her hair off. Rolling her eyes, Naru turned back. "You said something SHOOK the deck? It could have been a shark that came to play," her mother joked, a bout of laughter making her double forward. "You are both lucky you didn't get eaten."

 _Ha ha, funny._ Naru snorted and turned to follow Itachi back into the room - _her_ room, and now it was theirs. She was suddenly starting to think him sleeping on the floor wouldn't be enough anymore. He had to be uncomfortable by now. When night came, she planned to ask him if, for awhile, he could sleep in her bed - as long as they were both careful about not giving her parents the wrong idea. And if Kurama didn't object.

"It's just me," she said just as she was opening the door, and halted when she saw Itachi just about stripped to his birthday suit in her room. She adverted her eyes down to not look at him while she moved towards her closet and picked something out before hurrying into her bathroom to change. When she was alone, she looked at what she snatched, which was a plain white t-shirt and dark blue gym shorts. Just fine with her.

While she switched into the simple garments, she looked over herself, at the long wet hair drying in a thick clump. She decided to tie it back since it was the beach, after all.

She was so nervous to admit this great feeling Itachi gave her was love. But she also _wanted_ to...

She peeked out the cracked door to see him sitting at her vanity, admiring the mermaid statue and then the beautiful conch shell beside it, humming and saying something softly. Naru had to strain her ears to hear what he said, though it was classified as eavesdropping.

"- Sasuke, take care of Mother."

Those names made her freeze. Sasuke - that was the name of his brother. But why would he...did that mean...?

 _Are they alive? His family?_

No, wait, her father said nobody was found alive - or anyone or _anything._ She might be overthinking, for all she knew. He must be saying a prayer for them in the afterlife. She decided that it was nothing - but little did she know how wrong she was.

Naru exited the bathroom, getting Itachi's attention. He looked up at her and smiled at how comfortable she was. He himself was in a red t-shirt and his black swimming trunks with the dragons. His hair was retied back. Seeing that made her remember when he took the band out and let those luscious black locks flare behind him freely, more angelic than a halo, made her heart throb. He was the most beautiful man she'd ever been with. They didn't know what happened at the deck, but it sure as hell was the best thing ever to lead to that kiss.

She wanted so much more with him. The week had indefinitely grown on her. Itachi was the man she knew she wanted for the rest of her life. She sounded foolish, but she had never been in love before - the way her parents loved each other, exactly. She wanted to know if Itachi felt the same way she did. She saw it in his eyes, but she wanted to HEAR it from him.

She wanted to tell him sometime, but when? Once she knew his feelings - if her mother was really right, but Kushina was almost never wrong - they would both see where their relationship would go.

~o~

A father would be very antsy about losing his little girl, but the way Naru was comfortable around Itachi made Minato happier than he'd been for her growing up. Kushina even admitted it herself. "I tried to tell her, Minato," she said later when he got home from lunch with Jiraiya and Kakashi, both men encouraging him to help get his daughter with their new housemate. Tomorrow would mark a week since Itachi came to live with them.

"I'll be relieved to get back to work, Minato-san," Kakashi had said just as they left the crab shack, which was one of the few to have crab imported from around the globe at this time of year. Winter season was a busier, better time. "And speaking of which, you think Itachi would like to be one of us, if you have the spot for him?"

Minato had been thinking about that, in longer terms, for the boy seemed to be interested in pretty much anything, but his passion seemed to be more focused on Naru and Kushina's specialty. All he could talk about was making Naru happy more than himself, another factor Minato Namikaze adored about the young man. He had already begun making plans of putting Itachi in the spot of son-in-law. Naru had found an equal, but did she notice? He could tell most of the time with his own child, and few times not.

He thought about talking to Naru about this, but he decided to leave that to her and her mother. Lady to lady.

"If those two decide to get married, I'd love to walk her down with you, my boy," Jiraiya told him heartily as he enjoyed the fish, "and Kakashi does the vow service - or better yet, let me do both that and the walking."

Both ideas sounded wonderful, but that was a long way off, and his daughter and Itachi hadn't even admitted to anything serious - yet - plus, Kakashi was absolutely going to be there if it happened. So until then, Jiraiya could fantasize all he wanted. As for Minato, he thought about hiring Itachi to work with him aboard the _Yellow Flash,_ but he had a feeling that the boy wouldn't be able to be happy being away that long from Naru. It sounded a little alarming, since he couldn't remember the last time he saw such devotion for another person.

Would _Naru_ be able to tolerate Itachi being on the waters for weeks or months at a time?

When he got home, Kushina was again alone with Kurama who was passed out beside the couch where she sat. "The cute couple is at the beach for now," she told him, sliding over to let him have room. Snickering, Minato pulled her close. "Left an hour ago."

"When will they be back?" he purred, nuzzling her sensitive earlobe. She moaned and lurched into him.

"Not for awhile longer, I think." _Good enough for me, baby._

~o~

"You know, we could go scuba diving sometime," Naru told him when Hinata picked them up in her car, and her best friend behind the wheel agreed. "We could see the sea life with the best support there is, and we can be down there as long as we want - although that depends on the limit the people working can give us for their equipment..."

To know there was a way for them to see under the waters, close to shore, was a dream come true. In a sense, Itachi would be seeing his world again with her like he wanted - but she wouldn't be able to go far enough to see the place where he was born, where his people were. Although everything she talked about sounded fun, and he told her he'd never done this sort of thing before. _Not the way you described it._

"Well, what are we waiting for?!" she exclaimed. "Today we can sign up, and tomorrow morning we can go out if you want. I did this before with Mom and Dad, and my friends. You're gonna love it!" Her eyes lit up brightly to match the sky overhead.

Itachi knew this was going to depend on his precious oxygen, so he had to learn as fast as he could by tomorrow. Natural ability to learn in his blood, he agreed. He wanted to enjoy the beach and then spend the rest of the day learning with her by the time the sun went down. He was excited to no end. "Then in that case, we head over there now." He wanted this over with so he could enjoy the setting sun with the drinks on the beach and then get to it tomorrow with her. He saw it being what the human phrase was, a piece of cake.

Both her and Hinata gawked at him by the time they arrived at the beach which was complete with more gift shops and even the scuba diving class. "ITACHI!" they exclaimed at the same time.

"This isn't something you just learn overnight! It took me a few weeks, maybe months to learn when my parents first brought me here!" Naru said, disbelieved and blinking a few times.

He chuckled and reached to poke her forehead. "You forget I am a fast learner, Naru-kun," he told her slyly.

Inside, he quickly found out how complex everything was, no matter anyone who was a first-timer believing that it would be sweet and quick. Which meant that today was spent learning all the standard procedures such as gas pressure, keeping in contact with fellow divers in the vicinity. The right amount of oxygen was most crucial, which he considered important as keeping in touch. His mask had to also be as crystal clear as he could see now, so to be alert and aware of any sharks coming or any other predators, as well as to ensure his fellow divers were also aware of the troubles.

Given this would be Itachi's first time, he accepted supervision. And Naru knew this better than he did, so he let her instruct him. She was also allowed to check his given equipment to make sure everything was in place before they would return to the surface.

Done in an indoor swimming pool without sea life. Itachi didn't think it was as fun as the real thing, but he was glad he got the basics down.

"Wow...not bad for the first timing," Naru told him when the three of them were leaving the shop after three hours of the lessons. Now they could enjoy the beach waters and drinks promised. Given a soft white refreshment in a pineapple fruit, called a _pina colada_ , he thanked her for the support and gave her a little kiss on the cheek - then decided Hinata needed one as well on the same place, but on the opposite side. This made her friend laugh.

Although when Naru announced she was heading to the bathroom, now was his opportunity to ask the red-faced Hinata how to get her friend to admit she loved him as he was in love with her.

~o~

Mikoto was doing a little better thanks to Sakura's additional help, knowing her oldest son was safe, but with Fugaku, that was another story. Sasuke would see the man shut away mostly in his study, since that place was never Sasuke's favorite - but that was only if the old man was away. Nowadays, he avoided everyone else, although he might secretly be keeping his eyes opened and had spies, but nothing happened to confront him and Shisui yet.

Tomorrow would be the deadline. To everyone else, Itachi Uchiha was all but dead, no trace found. Merpeople in the clan began to talk. Sasuke, their youngest and new leader, heard it all though made it an image to them that he was oblivious.

 _"...eaten by sharks."_

 _"Not possible. Itachi Uchiha is not stupid to let such a thing happen."_

 _"Ran away, perhaps."_

How dangerously close - and right - they were with the last one. When the surrounding Uchiha were gone, he shouted for Shisui who he promoted to being his personal guard, since his father could do nothing anymore. Imagine the look on the old man's face when the word got out to him!

Sasuke had to juggle his feelings for the man who sired him and Itachi. Younger, he respected Fugaku who had taught them everything he knew, but when he grew older and began to develop his own mind, he wanted more and knew that just because your mother and father told you something did NOT mean it was the complete truth. He had seen dangerous predators from afar and learned how to avoid them; Shisui was there for him and his brother - so it seemed their cousin always knew better than the man who made them, who focused on tradition and trivial instead of what was always before his closed eyes.

It was difficult for him to be clan leader now. Itachi was supposed to be dead, so he also had to learn how to get the others to follow him in being outside and closer to humans. He never got to meet Naru in person, which meant she knew nothing about him and his people. This boded unwell for Itachi, because he was keeping so much of his identity secret. Their mother made him promise to never forget them, but to tell his woman the truth if he saw it necessary. She didn't exactly say he HAD to, but Sasuke could imagine the dilemma his _aniki_ was going through.

And so, today - the final day - everyone would go out one more time, but when they returned, Itachi would publicly be proclaimed dead.

Sasuke never saw what he found coming that morning.

It wasn't unusual for a _ningyo_ to spot divers, but the two he recognized based on the hair that peeked from behind their masks. One had long pale hair, the other a raven mane - _Itachi._ Half of him wanted to go out there to make himself known, just to see his brother, but he couldn't chance Naru spotting him. He doubted she would calmly take seeing another sea creature like that night.

Shisui and the others were still out there, a safe distance, and if they saw the divers, they would also value their lives and remain hidden...but would any of them, besides Shisui, recognize Itachi based on the hair as he knew he did? _Sometimes I know my eye is better than any of theirs._ He was not ashamed to admit his vision was better.

The diver with the long black hair turned in his direction just as he spotted the human-sized black fishtail swish out as the body disappeared behind coral and seaweed. His pale-haired partner turned her gaze in the other direction to admire something, but Itachi seized the moment to wave a hand at him, which made Sasuke happy to know his brother knew he was there, only for a moment. He watched for awhile before Itachi tapped on Naru's shoulder, getting her attention - Sasuke ducked further behind, peeking through the random holes - and then tugging on something above their heads, which he learned was a sign to return to the surface.

Sasuke was just turning around when he nearly ran into Shisui, who looked grim, making his insides freeze. He had a terrible feeling about this. "Cousin, we have to get back. Your mother is in trouble."

 _Mother!_ He wasted no time flipping his tail and gliding through the schools of fish that parted to let them pass. But when they got to the palace compound, his father and the guard as well as the entire Uchiha clan were waiting. "What is the meaning of this?" Sasuke demanded, "standing" full height at the sight of his mother's guilt-stricken gaze. _Oh, Kami, don't tell me..._

"Sasuke...you have very serious explaining to do." Fugaku was far from pleased, and the others around them were tripled to match. Sasuke's heart thundered inside as he found himself thrust to be beside Shisui, and his poor mother was pulled beside her husband, helpless to get him to see reason.

"Release her now," Sasuke ordered with a growl. "What mad nonsense do you have to surround us with guards now under _my_ jurisdiction?" Fugaku answered, unintimidated and keeping Mikoto behind him.

"Your brother is alive. Your mother has told me everything."

~o~

 _"Well, Itachi, it doesn't take a lot with Naru. She enjoys anything we all would do for her, but if you want to confess your...ahem, feelings, maybe try something with her you hadn't yet, like a...romantic dinner on the docks."_

Romantic dinner...like in the movies. Sounded right, if you asked him. Candles, flowers, a breeze and sunset, sumptuous meal - all perfect timing. And just before the sun went down, he would confess his love and hear hers in return. All his hard work was going to pay off. His heart thundered with excitement.

He was familiar with these landscapes, every coral, sand and seaweed down to every species of fish in every color that came and went. Even when he looked overhead to see silvery white rays pierce the crystalline blue surrounding them. Anemone, starfish, jellyfish, sponges, mollusks and so on - everything was a bejeweled feast for the eyes.

Off the reef they were on descended into smooth, miles long worth of sand glittering with sun rays. But he'd seen that before, and he and Naru were to stay on this reef and shallow waters for his first dive. It was heavy and cumbersome, this equipment on his back, but it provided him with the air necessary to breathe, and Naru was a blessing. He also learned to adjust hers as well. For a moment, he'd been fearful of closing her lungs in and killing her, but that was what the surface life-liner was for.

A sea turtle was one of the majestic creatures to come by, and they both got to caress its shell. Itachi remembered one time Shisui took him to ride the back of a whale...

And speaking of which, he didn't see his cousin, but _Sasuke_ was hiding amidst coral and anemone, glimpsing him and Naru. The conflict was there in his eyes: he wished he could come over but refrained. The least Itachi could do was wave towards him before it was time up for him and his underwater companion.

"God, wasn't that beautiful and exciting or what?" Naru exclaimed when they were both back to the surface, sitting on the edge of the boat, taking off their fins, masks and goggles. He exhaled when fresh air entered his lungs.

"Indeed," he breathed out, looking up and squinting at the sun in his eyes. "I had the most wonderful time with you." She looked down shyly. It made him wonder if she would behave that way tonight, which Kushina was going to set up with him before Naru would be surprised herself...

~o~

Itachi was taking her down to the docks for a surprise, but he wouldn't even tell her what it was. The late afternoon was soon turning into evening. She was so excited her stomach was flip-flopping.

She was still in the blue peasant blouse and orange printed skirt when he knocked on the bedroom door after having been gone for some time now since they got back to the house from scuba diving. In her ears were round amber stones framed with dainty golden flowers and vines, to show off passion preserved since prehistoric times. Her hair had dried off a hell of a while back, so they fell in loose ringlets down her back.

Most of all: the locket he gave her was around her neck, resting over her heart.

Itachi? He was such a _god_ , in that red collared shirt rolled to his elbows, and his tight dark pants. The shirt buttoned down to show the necklace, his ponytail...he was perfect in every aspect. "Naru, you're really beautiful outside as you are inside," he breathed, taking her hands and holding them. "You're a being that men must go to war for."

Now...she never once heard him speak such words to her. At least, not the same way he did just now. He was so confident, because he saw her as the only woman in his life ever since he laid his eyes on her. She wasn't sure when it ever started on her part, but what about the very first day when she, her father and Hinata found him naked on the beach? His family missing, nowhere to go for him, and him having his eyes only on her?

He already had a hold on her without trying too hard. He wouldn't let her go that easily.

"Oh, Itachi!" she yelped when he picked her up like a bride and carried her down the docks. He just chuckled and carried her onward like nothing was wrong. "Put me down!"

"Close your eyes," he simply husked. Whatever it was, he had a surprise for her. Biting her bottom lip, Naru closed her eyes and held onto him as he continued down the wooden steps until they stopped somewhere. "Do you trust me?"

He spoke to her like Jack spoke to Rose when he helped her stand on the railing of the ship before it met its doom that same night. "I trust you," Naru answered, and then she was given permission to open her eyes. When she did, she gasped in awe at the sight.

A table had been set up on the docks, near the collection of shops, but overlooking the boats and the beach. In the middle of the setup was a clear vase of seashells topped with luxurious red roses and virginal white lilies. Surrounding were a few tea candles lit up. It also appeared she and Itachi would be having a kind of fish with roasted tomatoes and greens. There was an additional platter of shrimp, crab claws and legs, half lobsters, and a smaller dish of tomatoes and mozzarella. This was nothing you saw every day here!

"Itachi, you did all this?" she exclaimed when she was finally put down to stand. She smoothed her skirt out. "My gods, you're a genius!"

"More precisely, I had some help. I've never done this before," he confessed, offering her the seat first like the gentleman he was, then picked up the sake bottle to make her a cup right next to the green tea.

"It looks amazing!" And her growling stomach proved the point and was the cue for them to enjoy the meal he'd prepared - with the help she knew had been from none other than her mother.

The meal was over, bellies full, and Naru almost passed out before Itachi helped her stand up. She only had two cups of sake like him, and a little spinning head wasn't too much. "I want to tell you something, Naru," Itachi told her as he helped her walk over to the deck, where there was free space, and the sun was turning orange and about to touch the horizon. Various shades of blue and some red surrounded it; it was the most beautiful sunset ever that she wanted to cry and lean into him, but Itachi had other plans.

"What do you want to tell me?" she whispered, looking up at him as he pushed her hair out of her eyes.

"What I wanted to say ever since I met you," he breathed, leaning closer in. "Naru Uzumaki, a week with you has been the best ever, and I will never regret it. If you'll have me, I want to spend more of my life with you - maybe even the rest of it. I'm not afraid to tell you this, but...I am devotedly in love with you."

Her heart stopped in its tracks. He said it...he said... "Itachi, so am -" But fate cruelly interrupted them one more time just like yesterday. There was a harsh motor running as well as something whizzing past them that caused her to lose her balance more than Itachi lost his.

The next thing she was aware of was falling over the railing and into a hard wooden surface, away from the man who confessed his love for her. Itachi roared after her just as he was swinging his legs over the railing to chase after them himself.

"NOOOOO, NARU!"

 **Duh duh duh, get ready for the big one now. :O Everything explodes in the next chapter.**


	16. Thunder and Rain

**The big climax deserves a worthy review because it is so intense and made me break into a sweat while I was bringing it to life. ':S**

Chapter Sixteen

Thunder and Rain

The food filled him up as he knew it did to her. The sweet and tender meat of the tilapia fish from the store, the roasted vegetables, as well as the lobster, crab and shrimp, combined with the sake and green tea - what better than something traditional and continued to make everything count? The atmosphere felt just perfect.

He would curse at anyone who said this wasn't real, that the movies were all something to wash off the shore. He was the judge, and so was Naru. To finally say those words...his soul lifted and was on the verge of joining with hers once and for all. He heard her loud and clear as the sky: "Itachi, so am -" _So, close!_ But then they were interrupted when something separated them and made her fall over the railing.

"NOOOOO, NARU!" he thundered, picking himself up and throwing himself over after her, seeing her fall into the boat with the loud motor - and there was also the man beside it. _Pain...you bastard. You've come back._

"You've lost, boy," the pierced man called up to him, emotionless. "In a few minutes, your time will be up."

He started to jump off the railing; the height was a story, so he wasn't hurt at all, except his limbs strained in the muscles when he landed, but by then, the motor was charged, and the boat began to speed away from him. Pain was taking Naru away from him again - and at this time of all times. But Itachi wasn't going to give up without a fight. He jumped into the water, kicking with all his might and paddling, then raised his arms on either side of himself as he moved towards where the boat was getting away from him.

Everyone thought Pain was dead along with his crew, but here he was. _Why now? Why at this time...wait._

One name came to mind, but despite his tiring lungs and muscles, Itachi pushed himself on. _Orochimaru._ The sea snake must have forged a pact with him, promising him more if he helped him. That was it...but as he said, not on Itachi Uchiha's watch.

Only the boat proved faster than his fragile human body. He was getting tired after getting several feet away from the land, and he was on the verge of passing out - only to feel a body lift beneath him and kept him above the water. If it was Orochimaru coming for him, he wasn't going to let him take him down. To hell with the contract.

"Itachi, it's me!"

He slid off with surprise. "Shisui!" His cousin was here, and to help him! "Get me over to that boat. He's taking her!" he insisted, floating back over to get on Shisui's back. His best friend's speed was more than what he needed, if only to get there in time. He held onto bare, strong shoulders for dear life. His clothes were soaked thoroughly, but the discomfort was the least of his worries. His legs wrapped around Shisui's waist so the other Uchiha could swish his tail without bumping into that obstacle and slowing them down.

It was then that he felt the harsh scars of a lashing that occurred not that long ago. He squeezed his eyes shut as a terrible idea came to mind as to where Shisui had gotten this.

The sky darkened into malevolent red and midnight blue. _Please, hurry..._

A loud noise pierced through the air by the time they were out in the middle of the water, in deeper territory, but the noise could clearly be heard by the ears of the residents of Konoha. Shisui halted momentarily as Itachi cried out at the sight. The motor engine had stopped, because it had been shot. He blinked in surprise, wondering how in the world that happened - until he saw the two occupants of the boat, specifically Naru who had something radiating smoke from her hand. _She shot the engine. Oh, right, she had a gun for protection, from Jiraiya and her father._

Pain was onto her, but Itachi threw himself onto the boat - with Shisui's help - and knocked the man out, sending him into the water for Shisui to take care of himself. If the bastard drowned, it wasn't Itachi's problem. "Naru," he gasped, going over to her and pulling her into his arms, taking her in for the long-awaited kiss that should have happened moments ago. "My beloved."

"Itachi," she uttered, leaning up to place her mouth against his -

\- but then a tremendous pain shot through his body and prevented the kiss from happening. A hoarse scream ripped through his esophagus and muscles to pierce the heavens as the sky turned dark. His time had run out.

Naru gasped in utter shock as she shifted away from him to look at his entire body. "I-Itachi! You're...a..." Her voice failed her, gripping either side of her end of the boat, far away from the smoked engine. Her pistol lay forgotten at her feet, too fixated on Itachi's form - his _true_ form.

The dark fabric of his trousers had torn to shreds and vanished, his legs formed together into his TAIL. The black scales shimmered with red at the tips, his silver fin and hip flaps the same, and it moved up and down at his command. However, his return wasn't done. Itachi gritted his teeth as he felt the burning tear of his spinal spikes piercing his flesh and ripping through his red shirt. He shrugged off the fabric, but the blasted thing was hardly a problem. _Damn it all._ To feel his old self was surreal and unwanted. Everything he wanted, took all his time and effort - it had all been for nothing.

He couldn't bear to look at her now. "Yes, Naru, this is what I really am."

"But that also means...you were the one who saved me that night."

He had expected her to demand to know why he lied to her all this time, but instead she took this better than he did. Itachi raised his head then to see her slowly crawling back to him, the shock still present - but also the adoration which made him lean up to kiss her finally despite...

"Too late, little prince," a voice hissed in his ear before he found himself being dragged down into the dark waters, his beloved crying his name and lunging over, separated by the element that would take her life because of her altered body structure.

"Let me go, Orochimaru," he growled as he found himself pulled down into his old home, but it was far from being a warm welcome. But the Serpent of the Sea chuckled heartily.

"What did I tell you, poor Itachi-kun? We had an agreement, and your time has expired. No second chances."

Itachi wouldn't let himself become part of what his twisted schemes were. "You planned this all along. You fill the minds and hearts of those you deal with hollow promises and suck them dry to get what you want! You have done the same to Pain, I know it!" This made the devil stop by the time they reached the sandy bottom, and long, loose black hair flared as yellow eyes flashed.

"Indeed. Humans are even easier to bargain with than our kind...but through the fool Pain, and with you now a part of it, my plan has come full circle."

"Not if we have anything to say about it." Itachi whirled his head around at the source of the voice. Sasuke, their father, and _Kisame_ with them. But it was mostly his little brother in the lead, face blazed with fury and vengeance, bow and arrow aimed for the kill.

~o~

Naru saw it happen before her eyes just as the sun went down, something that could happen only in a certain movie she loved as a child: Itachi transformed into a _mermaid._ Correction: he was a _merman._ That tail...black, red, and silver...

She was in so much shock that she didn't know how to think. Now wasn't the time to freak out so much, though her hormones were saying another story. One clear thought was certain. _He's the one who saved me from the_ Red Dawn _crew. And somehow, he changed himself to be on shore...with me..._

 _Everything makes sense._

She felt her heart break into millions of pieces, still staring at the spot where he had been dragged down. Naru had only a brief look at the face which appeared and took Itachi from her arms. Long black hair like Itachi, but the face of a snake. That was the one...she didn't know his name, but he must have dealt with him so he could have his legs and be with her...a week, was it? Not three days, but one week.

Reality and fairytales had collided too much, but there was no time to think about this and wallow in grief. That sea demon had her Itachi, but she needed help. She couldn't stay here; the engine had been shot because of her. It was all a heat of the moment. Pain had told her that she would pay for the mess she'd gotten him into, but that was all his fault.

In the distance, she found herself seeing beyond the sea to the fishing boat coming her way. _It must be his, and if I am right, that Konan woman is still with him. She's coming to see what is keeping..._

"Naru, is it?" She yelped and turned around to see the good-looking young man with short, curling dark hair matted to his skull. A black tail shimmering with silvery white flapped upwards behind him. Another merman!

"Who are you?" she asked, putting a hand over her rapidly pumping heart as she picked up her fallen gun. She wasn't going to shoot him, because he seemed harmless, and she saw a resemblance to Itachi.

The guy laughed. "Shisui Uchiha, at your service."

He was related to Itachi. He'd lied to her, her parents and everyone else, to protect his family down there. Now one was right in front of her. "Are you going to help me?" Naru asked, getting closer to the edge.

"Why else am I here? I took that Pain down easily enough." His face fell. "Except I couldn't kill him. He kicked the hell at me and got away somehow."

 _Which means he already got to that boat. I have to get away._ "How can I get away from here? Itachi needs help -" He put his hand over her mouth, quieting her, and good reason for her to hear the sound of a siren as well as screeching cars and shouts over the railing. Her name was among them. Naru turned to see her parents, Jiraiya, and several of Pervy Sage's officers.

"You leave that to me, and you do your best to talk to your family about those two on the boat."

Shisui disappeared beneath the waters then and there, leaving her helpless and frustrated on the boat just as another came her way from the far right, carrying Jiraiya himself. "Pervy Sage!" she yelled, jumping on as he came close enough to bump the end and make her nearly fall again. He caught her into his arms, half-standing.

"Let me guess," he said, glaring at the ruined engine. " _He_ got you again."

"Yes, but Itachi is down there." She nodded towards the water, which made him frown.

"You mean he killed Itachi, kid?"

Naru shook her head furiously. If she was going to risk being called insane, then it was all for him. Love really made you do crazy things. "No, I mean, Itachi is still alive, but he's not human." She didn't expect to see the understanding in his eyes, knowing what she was hinting.

"I see..."

~o~

"My, my, the father and son of the Uchiha - as well as the enemy that made the truce," Orochimaru noted with a lick of his lips, continuing to hold Itachi's hand in place, looking around as though it was nothing. "How exciting." Then he snapped his fingers, and bursting from the earth beneath them was none other than the crab man Jirobo, the red mermaid Tayuya, the eel man Sakon/Ukon, and Kidomaru the octopus. All four circled their master and his prisoner as a shield, ready to strike any who thought to come forward.

Kisame pulled his jagged weapon Samehada from his back and raised it. "I wouldn't be getting hasty if I were you, snake," he leered. "I came to the party to help the one I owed my life to." He glanced at the father and brother of the one he shared mutual trust with. "I could not thank you enough for reaching me on your own, Sasuke."

The treaty between the Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki and his shark land was valid, meaning stay off each other's property, but here he was armed and ready _all for him._ The shark-man considered him an important ally even when the former Uchiha heir defied territorial law to deal with Orochimaru. If only Itachi could repay him back for this...

"You may let my son go," Fugaku ordered, pulling forth his trident, the golden glow lighting, "and nobody will get hurt."

Orochimaru's mouth stretched on either side for a moment before it twisted. "Not a chance, Fugaku. Itachi is mine now." He released Itachi then and there, but the prince wasn't free for long. Something felt...he felt...

His entire body felt itself shrinking, but his bones became soft as mush, and there was nothing he could do to break free. His arms shrank into himself, and his tail attached to the ground. It felt like a soft prison in his own body. He tried to speak, but words failed. He might have heard it only in his mind, for when he looked up at his brother, his father and those around him, nobody responded to his cry.

 _What is happening to me?!_

"You see, he signed a deal with me, Fugaku," Orochimaru went on casually, leaving the circle and surrounding the retired clan head, who could only stare down at the dishonorable son in his new form - the pitiful form of polyp like the ones in the demon's lair. "For love, none other, and with a human, can you believe it?" He chortled as if it amused him. "It is amazing how something that weakens the heart can make you do anything necessary, isn't it? I even gave him what he wanted, but it is a shame that his time ran out." _Because you stopped Naru from saying she loved me back!_ "And it's an even greater pity you yourself and the clan's traditions and restrictions drove him to do anything to get what he desired most."

Fugaku could only stare into Itachi's eyes and say nothing, but his hold on his weapon stayed the same.

"Of course, what you desire does not come without cost. If he failed, then his body and soul belong to me...and the cycle is complete. I will have what I spent a lifetime breaking grounds to make a reality for the world...for ME." His lips pulled back to bare his teeth maliciously. "Now Itachi, the final soul, belongs to me. Unless..."

Yellow eyes switched back and forth between Fugaku and Itachi - but then on Sasuke who had piqued his interest by lowering his weapon. _Gods, Sasuke, no...I know what you are going to do._

"Release my brother and take me instead."

Fugaku whirled around, outraged and shocked. "Son, you will do no such thing! You and Shisui let your brother go back on us all for a human - and with this monster! You think I'll just stand by and let you -!"

"Silence, Father," Sasuke said coldly, looking him bravely in the eyes. Then he looked back at the four surrounding his brother in feeble, imprisoned sea form. "I was the one who suggested Itachi do this, because I loved the older brother who had always been there for me and protected me - I wanted to make him happy. There was no other way, regardless of the risks. I deserve the punishment more than him." His voice hardened.

"You made it really clear that I was never meant to match up to Itachi." His words struck home in Fugaku, but the man who always had something to say could not respond to the son who took his place out of shame and guilt, tried to prove himself.

Kisame growled and held his shark skin blade in one hand now. "Kid, you're such a fool! Don't do this -" He stopped himself then when he looked down at Itachi, as if fighting himself over letting his ally sink into his doom or just letting his little brother take his place. He bit his tongue then and there.

Orochimaru raised his hand, a small glow of sickly green forming in an orb. "It's done then."

~o~

Someone had heard the commotion and immediately phoned the police, which then reached her mom and dad's ears by none other than Jiraiya - and the thunderous sound had been none other than her and Itachi's location.

Short notice on getting a scuba diving suit, and it hadn't been easy to get her parents to listen to her. She had told them both everything, while the other officers were going after the fishing boat with Pain and Konan, and Jiraiya was manning up a suit for her since he didn't like this but would gladly do this _with_ her, dangerous and beyond their boundaries as it was.

"Itachi is...a mermaid," Minato managed finally, then shook his head. "I mean, merman." He sounded like he was torn between believing it or not, but she didn't have time for this. It was now or never, and Itachi needed her. She didn't know what she could do, but something was better than nothing. After all, she also knew how to shoot a projectile underwater with help from her dad and Pervy Sage, besides a pistol.

Kushina clucked her tongue. "I don't know if I should call you crazy or hit him if I ever see him again for lying to us all this time."

"Look, you guys," Naru insisted. "I know how this sounds, but right now Itachi needs help. He did so because he wanted to be with me. He was the one who saved me that night, from Pain and his men. He pulled me from the water."

This made Minato smile a little, although it was still crooked with uneasiness. Then he looked behind him just as Jiraiya shouted for her to hurry and suit up. "I'll make sure nothing happens to her," he promised to her parents, making Kushina raise her fist as a promise to hold him to. Naru chose to hurry up, pushing herself into the suit without worry, although her peasant skirt and blouse underneath the skintight diving suit? Uncomfortable, but she didn't care.

"I'm not going to lose you down there, young lady!" her mother warned her just as she was hauled on the back with the gas tank, which her dad did the honors of checking.

"And I'm not going to lose the man I love to the ocean, or that bastard who almost tore our family apart before I was born!" Naru countered. "Just as he isn't going to take over this world we love."

Jiraiya scoffed. "Like that will happen, kiddo. Let's go get your man now." The sky had darkened to a murderous black and gray, rumbling with thunder. It was going to storm, making her feel like she was in the movie yet again. _I'm not going to lose you, Itachi. If I stand by and do nothing, what's going to come of it?_

Shisui had said he would take care of whatever was going on down there, but did it have to take so long?

She was putting on her goggles just as he was doing the rowing, taking them out to the spot where the boat that had been Pain's was still floating. "You believed in these things really, didn't you, Pervy Sage?" she asked the old man who simply shrugged.

"I've seen and heard this and that in my life, and much of it was never proven. But with mermaids, they were by far the strangest to never be seen since feudal times. The old book recorded their locations, but when people got there, those things were either well-hidden or long gone. Guess you could say it had been a hunch - but not one you should go obsessing over." His eyes twinkled. "And Itachi - there was something off about him, but I always thought he liked you very much, and you really do like him back."

"It's more than that," Naru said passionately. "I love him. And I'm not letting him be taken away."

Jiraiya's gaze hardened. "Keep telling yourself that, but real life is harder than fiction," he warned her, before they looked down at the odd thing that got their attentions from the corners of their eyes.

The bright green light marked the spot she was sure where Itachi was. "Okay, Pervy Sage, I'm ready to go down." He grumbled and shook his head, giving her the thumbs up to go as soon as the oxygen mask was over her mouth, then took the projectile weapon into hand.

 _I'm coming, Itachi._

~o~

"Sasuke..."

To look upon the poor, narrow, earthy thing with small eyes and no reaction...it would haunt him for the rest of his life. " _Otouto,_ " he moaned, reaching out to cup around it with one hand, noting how he could easily wrap his large hand around it. "I'm so...so sorry." _I brought this on you. I fell in love, felt such happiness for the first time...and you paid for it in my stead. I feel like the most selfish man - no, merman._

Fugaku closed his eyes, unable to look down at what he'd driven both his sons to. Kisame shook his head in utter disbelief. And Shisui had arrived in time to see the hysteria, but he had been held back by Kidomaru the octopus-man, unable to stop Orochimaru.

Kisame could have helped if he wanted to, but everything was happening so fast and against his comprehension. He was ready to shred the Serpent of the Sea himself - or better yet, do the deed to any of the four hybrid freaks. Shisui was eventually released by Kidomaru, and came to be beside Itachi as he gazed down at the little polyp form of his baby brother.

 _Sasuke...are you feeling what I felt?_

And to think it would have been permanent for him. He knew what those other lost souls felt, and it intensified his pain - for himself, for Sasuke and the others before him - as well as fueled his rage.

"This is for my sons!" Fugaku raised the trident and let loose a powerful bolt upon the sea serpent excuse of a _ningyo_ \- only to have it deflected back to him by the other's hand like a mirror, and the impact sent his father sliding into the ocean's earth, murk and mud flaring up. The trident itself was caught by Tayuya, who paddled to give it to her master, bowing her head and slipping back.

"Foolish as always, Fugaku. No more or less than your sons. And now, everything is all mine." The weapon of a true merman and head of a certain clan glowed in hands it did NOT belong to. But Orochimaru was far from over. He extended his hand in Sasuke's direction, and the most horrendous thing happened that was the thing of nightmares.

His brother's broken soul was suctioned from the ground, a piercing shriek ripping through Itachi's eardrums, and Sasuke vanished into the glowing ball in the palm of Orochimaru's hand...which found its way into his mouth which stretched wide as a real snake, swallowing the orb whole. The slimy tongue came out to lick his lips.

Itachi's heart stopped altogether...only to explode with the rage of a centuries sleeping underwater volcano.

"I've absorbed the others before I came to claim the final," the snake explained, eyes brightening. "All one hundred souls are now mine. All those who bargained with me. Now I shall become what I sought: truly immortal. And when I claim which is owed by the human awaiting me, I'll have nothing to fear - such as getting caught by the enemy on surface. We shall function as one."

Shisui hissed. "You were planning this from the beginning. That was why you were exiled from our people."

The snake-like creature cackled. "Yes...and with no time to chat - OW!" His face contorted with shock and pain in one, and a black ink-like substance oozed from a slanted slice that appeared on his left forearm. He slapped his free hand over that spot, then turned to look upwards at the source of the target who shot the graze into his skin. He snarled at the sight of the diver with the weapon. Itachi felt his eyes widen in horror at the long pale hair. _Naru! What do you think you are doing?! He's not someone you can handle yourself!_

And that was not all: there was a long stick that pierced through Jirobo's neck, through the tender middle of his huge throat, and he keeled over, surrounded by purple-black blood that sure attracted Kisame's sense of smell, but it was a putrid aroma.

"AFTER HER, YOU FOOLS!" Orochimaru roared at the three remaining lackeys who darted north in Naru's direction. She quickly turned and began to swim back to the surface where the boat was waiting for her. Itachi moved to grab the trident in his enemy's hand, but he found himself struck with a blow to the face by the other's tail. He had a brief look at Shisui, his father and Kisame moving together as one to fight the three who tried to pull Naru down to the deep darkness of the ocean. _Get them, you three._ He returned his attention back to the one who absorbed his brother's soul and the ninety-nine others.

"It was all good and well doing business with you, Itachi Uchiha, but I must proceed to the final step - and you can stand by and watch the mess you have dug along with your foolish brother who can only watch from inside here." The pat on that loathsome stomach made him squeeze his eyes shut. Another terrible mistake.

When he looked up, Orochimaru was gone. He was heading to the surface with a speed too great to match his.

But the highlight: Kisame had shredded off the octopus' legs, grazed Tayuya's tail, and Sakon had lost his twin's head, which was rendering him screaming and bleeding like a maniac. The shrieking mermaid herself tried to get away, but her strong scent of red blood was apparently tastier than the other two, which Kisame was all too happy to enjoy. Itachi turned his back to the mess, imagining the reactions of poor Shisui and his father, and focused on snatching his beloved Naru to the surface, who was on the verge of nearly drowning a second time. Her goggles and gas mask had been knocked off by the ones who had pulled her from the edge of the boat above and down. He took her underneath the arms and rushed them to the water surface.

In the boat were none other than her father and Jiraiya, both thanking him. He dared to risk looking into their eyes and seeing any signs of disgust, but there was nothing but gratitude. "Get her away from here now," he rushed. "Pain is about to absorb one of my own, and he is the most dangerous and most powerful."

Jiraiya's glower deepened while Minato's hardened with determination. "You'll never believe what I saw just now. This one you speak of - I saw him leap onto deck, there was firing but not from our own, and then it stopped...before we saw Pain falling into the ocean," Minato said, worried now, but it was an understatement compared to Itachi.

 _So, it's coming._

At the same time, the waters around them began to wrack violently as something even more powerful, unstoppable and abominable began to rise beneath them all.

~o~

She shot that snake that took down her Itachi, but instead of making a direct kill, she'd only attracted attention. Three things - one a man with octopus legs, a mermaid with a red-and-gold tail, and a man with a second head as well as an eel's body - snatched her just as she threw her head out of the water. The cries of Pervy Sage and her dad were what she heard before she was pulled under, and her oxygen mask and goggles were knocked off, sinking away from her. They were probably friends with that serpent guy, but she could hardly hear anything under the muffling water.

She thought she was going to die for sure this time before _Itachi_ swooped to her rescue like before. Naru gasped for air, and there were Dad and Jiraiya happy to see her, and thanks to Itachi. But then he had to tell them to get her away from here. And they'd come all the way out here for this?!

Also, her dad had come out here on his own boat - and then he reported something going on with Pain and the one _ningyo_ whom Itachi said was behind all of this really...before the ocean around them wracked the big fishing boat as well as the rest of them. The sky had grown so dark the clouds were really going to release a storm.

The thing that rose from the sea was something that did not do legendary creatures justice. Naru was on the boat with Itachi's help, and he held onto the edge as he looked up and watched the monster emerge. She felt like she was going to pass out as she took in the horrid face that wasn't Pain, but had the piercings in the same places. Red hair grew to waist-length, and now there were black streaks and layers in places. The flesh was gray-white. And besides the head, torso and arms, there were seven flailing tentacles.

"Itachi, that thing...you said Pain ate him like in the stories - and THIS happens?!" Jiraiya exclaimed.

"He did. And the one we speak of is Orochimaru. He was once one of us before he was exiled for unorthodox, forbidden means, and all this time he bargained the souls of other merpeople. Those who failed to make their desires meet by a deadline, their souls belong to Orochimaru. He needed one hundred to make himself immortal...like now. And now he has let himself be eaten by Pain. Look at them together now." Itachi's lips pulled back to show his teeth. "My brother chose to sacrifice himself in my stead."

 _His brother..._ She felt her heart thump once at a time in an unnatural way. Minato and Jiraiya looked like they were both ready to murder someone. And then a booming, monstrous voice called down to them all.

 _ **"Pitiful, insignificant fools - will you look upon what two have become, Minato and Jiraiya? And Itachi, so much for true love!"**_

 _Oi, this is too much_ _déjà vu_ _for me._

"LOOK OUT!" Minato roared, just as one of the great tentacles came down in their direction, but all of them jumped into different directions when the thing crashed down and sent greater waves than before. The storm brewed with this gigantic beast with the trident spear. Rain began to fall, washing away all thoughts except the danger she was in. This was a major threat to their lives as well as those of the people in the town not far away, and the creatures beneath these waters.

The trident was swirling a whirlpool that was going to take them all down. Naru had never been caught in a terrible storm like this, but she wasn't going down like this. She looked over at Pervy Sage as he coughed, sputtered, and swam her way. The boat that had been Pain's survived intact, and the other people were still inside. They spotted the three people who were trying to swim their way in the raging waters, and threw the big net down for her and the men to grab.

Itachi was far away, but he'd hauled himself onto a rock and watched helplessly as the abomination that was Orochimaru the Serpent of the Sea and Pain, captain of the _Red Dawn_ , toyed with the swirling whirlpool and assumed total control of the seas. _**"I am the god of all the seas - and now I crash these waters on the town in my sights!"**_ _Oh, you're not going to if we have anything to say about it._

"Jiraiya, Minato!" one of the officers shouted. "What do we do?"

Minato was at the bridge himself, which was where the bowsprit was pointing, and Naru was more than happy to know her dad had a great idea. "All of you to stations!" he yelled. "We strike at the beast's heart and save our town and the ocean! It's not going to destroy everything we love, not on my watch!"

Jiraiya grabbed onto the nearest railing he could find, and Naru held onto him from behind. The Sea Beast's attention was now directed on Itachi, uncaring about them since it must have thought the boat would go down with the storm alone. _It...no longer a he. You're underestimating us._ Itachi's rock was destroyed, sending him into the watery grave which was really a dried circle of land at the bottom, trapping him so the shots of power would try to kill him. He would eventually run out of room if they didn't do anything to help him...

...but thankfully, her awesome as hell dad shouted at the police officers in help to strike just as he steered the wheel, aiming the spear at the head of the craft towards the monster as it turned around in time - and was pierced right through its body, beneath its heart. Painful bellows tore through its jaw of four rows of teeth, and it fell forward, impending on the boat that got it in one blow. The shadow cast on them as the waves lashed onto them with a vengeance.

Jiraiya let go of the railing and roared at them all to abandon ship.

 **My God, it was exhausting but fun as hell to write. The climax, so much like "The Little Mermaid" and not at the same time - ugh, I think it deserves that review.**


	17. Mermaid Prince

**FINAL CHAPTER. REVIEW AND ENJOY. :D As usual, the hard work paid off.**

 **Little warning, maybe never needed: lemon at the end as well as graphic details of intercourse. Long awaited.**

Chapter Seventeen

Mermaid Prince

The waters still didn't subside when the Sea Beast fell onto the craft and crushed it, taking it down into the depths, but not before every person - herself, her dad, Jiraiya and his men - was all off safely. Naru was used to carrying the weight that was the gas tank on her back, and she was a great swimmer. Except she was getting tired now.

 _Itachi...please come and see me again._

It wasn't long before the raging storm began to calm down, the tsunami never reaching Konoha any further than it already had. In the devastating waves, some structures and shops had already been flooded, but how far had it gotten? Were her mom, Hinata and the others okay?

"Grab onto me, Naru," her father grunted, paddling her way, and she hoisted herself onto him. He surged them both forward to the KPD vessel coming their way to rescue any survivors of the storm. Jiraiya was still holding on. There was also five or six people - and yes, that bitch Konan was there, thankfully - coming behind them. A couple men didn't make it, maybe.

"Jiraiya-san, what the hell was that?!"

"Whatever the _hell_ ," Jiraiya replied harshly, accepting a large blanket around himself, and Naru and her father the same, relieving the daughter, "it was, we got it. But it's best we don't scare anyone by not telling what really happened."

Naru looked up at him. She felt a myriad of emotions within. Half of her was happy, because the press would be all over them in no time, asking questions and speculating. This was NOT something to be glamorized on TV or in papers. It was easy to think that it would hit the world with happiness that something of legend truly did exist - but the other half knew otherwise. She loved Itachi despite him keeping his true self and his life from her and the others she loved - but they also cared about him, too, or did they still?

 _If this gets out, it's over for him and his people. It's no wonder very little is recorded, and why the story of catching a_ ningyo _includes the warning. Look what happened tonight._

And of course, a certain someone wasted no time jumping at first chance to be here for the rescue. "Naru! Minato!"

"Mom!" Just like Kushina to flip and run their way, pulling them both down by the necks into a smothering hug. "Ow, Mom!"

She released them and pulled both hands back, but she and her dad were both prepared, thinking the same thing, and ducking just as the strikes were coming down. Her mother - always quick to jump to violence. "Kushina!" Minato yelled, catching both her hands and holding her in place. His eyes and face were all hard. "For once, can you not use your fists to express your feelings?! Your daughter and I put our lives on the line for everyone out there! Itachi is fine now, but what's going to happen now?" He released her so she looked up at him with disbelief at stopping her.

"He's...a merman," she said softly. "He did what? He bargained with a monster to be with our little girl, and look what happened. I really thought something was special." There was a bit of contempt that made Naru snapped.

"Oh, Mom, how dare you say such things!" she snapped, making the redhead whirl on her. "I thought you had more understanding than this. Itachi did this because he loved me, and that was more than enough for me. But now..." Her body wracked. "Now I might never see him again after tonight. He's back home, and I don't even know what to feel anymore." _Is there even going to BE another like him?!_

She saw the question reflect in their eyes, but her mother seemed more hard pressed. The biting of Kushina's bottom lip was proof she was trying not to say something worse.

Finally, Kushina spoke. "...I'm sorry." She was sorry, that was it. That was all she could say.

"Ladies, sorry to break up the melodrama," Jiraiya said, coming between them. "We got better things to worry about. Kushina, you know what you have to do about these waters now." That meant make sure no pollution in the future, overfishing and the likes, but how easy could that be now? If Naru said those words aloud, someone would know the sarcasm.

If only Itachi was here. If only they'd given him that offer he pleaded for when they had the chance. She could understand the secondary reason besides her sake: he loved the waters so much because it was his home. A tear fell down her cheek. She turned her back to the people behind her, oblivious and staring blankly out at the waters ahead, wondering how Itachi was doing now that he had returned. _He must be mourning the loss of his brother._ But the rest of his people? If they were as harsh as he'd told her, she cringed at the punishments he must be getting.

"Naru?" Her father was trying to see if she was fine, but she didn't want to see anyone, or even speak. She had no will. She was so tired, but her cries and the agony of her broken heart was going to prevent her from sleeping tonight.

"Leave me alone, Dad." She hadn't said this to him or her mother since she was a teenager. He said nothing, just sighed and left her alone. Naru hadn't been like this as long as she could remember. She was so scared she would lose everything she was now that the first real man she loved was gone. _It's_ merman... _no, it doesn't matter what he is. He's still just Itachi to me._

The storm clouds overhead began to clear, leaving the veil of stars in place.

She could have sworn she heard a splash, as well as seen the familiar flash of silver and red amidst black. It was something magical before her eyes, but like a beautiful fantasy as well as the rare real life moments of true happiness, it was gone, leaving her hollow and empty.

~o~

Itachi would have been killed by his father's own weapon - held by the abomination itself, no longer just one man and one creature - had Naru, her father and their friends hadn't come in.

The beast fell into the sea. The boat Naru was in had struck it near the heart, mortally wounding and allowing it to fall into the raging waves. When the monster died, instead of separating into the two separate beings, it dissolved into hundreds of different little pieces and green sparkles of light - all of which hit the bottom of the ocean and grew, forming human-like shapes...culminating in forms of _merpeople_ like him, his father and Shisui.

 _By the gods...they've returned to their real forms._ These creatures were freed from the curse Orochimaru placed on them, now that he was gone. Itachi's heart stopped before it began to thump rapidly again. That meant...

"SASUKE!" The name tore from his throat, and he was off with lightning speed, desperately searching for his brother, praying -

"ITACHI!"

It was as if the world had begun to spin back on course when his arm circled around his precious _otouto,_ who in return shared his weeps. Masculinity dropped in favor of their reunion. All was well...except the ache in the elder brother's heart. The most glorious week he had had been so close to being so much more, an eternity, but now he was stuck down here with only a distant memory. When he got back to the palace compound, he would face public punishment worse than ten or even twenty lashes. Exile would be it, but he would gladly accept it more than being around his own kind and reminded of his "mistakes" - it would never be a mistake as long as he lived.

His father - Fugaku might have witnessed enough to traumatize him, but did it really make him change his mind about everything? Itachi chose not to take chances of any kind. Which meant one option left.

" _Aniki,_ it was terrible," Sasuke murmured into his shoulder, holding onto him tight. "I don't wish to remember. Let's go home now..."

Itachi quickly pulled away. "I can't." When he did, he held Sasuke at arm's length, seeing what had remained on him since he transformed back: his ring and his bracelet. All of them for courage, duty and honor... _a bond that will never break._

Coming up were their father, Shisui and Kisame. "Those three I finished off," the shark announced with a leer. "Now that this has been settled, I owe you my life a second time, Itachi. You saved my skin, now I helped save yours." He left them then and there to return back to where he belonged. Itachi nodded, not wounded by anything else that wasn't added.

Shisui moved to slap him on his back playfully. "Glad you're back, cousin. That means with all this over, we head home now." What he couldn't say in front of Fugaku was that he was in deep regret nothing worked out for him as they'd hoped. Sasuke might be thinking the same thing.

"Yes, the sooner we head home, the better," Fugaku said, hiding his emotions and turning to take lead. Now was Itachi's chance.

His actions would be hurting his mother once again, but once more, he was being selfish. He was finished being confided in those walls. If the surface wasn't going to be his life anymore, he would roam freely and find his own place. If he wasn't welcomed in certain places, anywhere was better than nowhere.

It would hurt his heart, but he planned to slip up to the surface to sit on that rock which overlooked the very same beach spot he rescued Naru in what felt so long ago, helped save from hired hands of a greedy businessman, and so many other good memories. Besides the hurt, it would give him a sense of peace.

Shisui and Sasuke watched him go without a word, in the opposite direction, and by the time Fugaku turned around, he shouted for him to come back. Itachi didn't turn back, didn't stop until he was far away as possible.

~o~

Konoha didn't suffer any destroyed homes, besides flooding in the streets which was being cleared out by everyone's help at the start of the next day. This meant he wouldn't be able to go back out with the ship for a few days or even weeks. The town needed cleaning up from the unexpected storm.

Minato had long stopped believing in fairytales, but maybe anything could happen. He just didn't want to be a fool and listen based on someone else. As for his daughter, she was far from happy since they went back home, then this morning when they were all ready to head out and pitch in with cleaning the flooded ocean water from their streets. The Aburame Brigade was in charge, Kushina being the one to boss everyone around. He knew this was because she was struggling with dealing with everything that transpired, what she'd seen and heard...

He thought about bringing Naru with him when he did go back out on the water, since the strain between her and Kushina was obvious now. Minato, for the life of him, couldn't remember the last time this happened - if ever. They were always so close, but now that they knew Itachi was a merman, it was as if a rift had broken between them.

Naru didn't eat anything that morning. In fact, she never came out of her room except when it was time to go. Kurama sensed the tense atmosphere and whimpered, keeping close to his mistress and friend, then going to Minato who was unsure of what to do. He tried talking to his daughter, but she didn't want to talk to anyone. He was worried for her; would she not talk to Hinata after this? He didn't want her to shut away her friends and everyone else because of a broken heart.

Minato loved Kushina no matter what, but right now, with her being very...distant after Itachi, he didn't know how to comfort her either. There was only one he was sure who could mend this damage, but he was back with his own kind. They might prevent him from trying again to come back here. _If they're that strict on protecting themselves more than ever, then they might keep him for good._

He shook his head and just went about the day, when it was all far from being fine. At least Pain was dead, his accomplice Konan behind bars and being interrogated in between, and they could all live in peace without worrying about trouble for the time being. It hurt to lose someone who was once a friend, but when he turned on you and almost hurt your family, there was no way to forgive them entirely.

Kakashi came to him in the midst of the sweeping of the waters and any broken debris floating. "Is everything all right, Minato?"

"...I wish I could say yes," was all Minato could get out, sadly. His younger friend nodded without the need for words.

~o~

He was sure it had been three days that passed since everything happened. He watched it all from afar, behind rocks, and the area where it happened - and where he and Naru enjoyed their evening before it was devastated - as boating lines were drawn to prevent people from getting into the water until further notice, and the land sections had yellow tape squaring off. Civilians had come to watch, and they were held back.

He saw Jiraiya, but he did not see Naru or her family anywhere. Closing his eyes, Itachi bowed his head and then lowered himself back into the water. _Why should I expect it? In three days, there is no sign of them._

He now found himself on the rock which was where he pulled her to safety, and where she found him with his legs. Where it all began for them. On that third day, everything changed. He saw her coming onto the beach, alone, and that made him happy, because he wanted so much to talk to her...

...but seeing the tired, blank sadness on her face made him hold back. She was wounded as much as he was.

Itachi held onto the rock, sinking down into it so his tailfin dipped completely into the water. It flipped back and forth, splashing small waves out of habit. Why was he holding back? He felt the tears fall from his eyes and hit the rock. _If I go to her, she'll be even more wounded than she is now, and so will I. I could cause her more pain by even appearing before her, when it's clear we can't be together again..._

"You really love her, don't you, Itachi?"

He nearly jumped out of his skin at the source of the voice. "Father!" he said angrily. "What are you doing here?" Fugaku only looked at him, not out of anger but sadness, which he never saw before. Then more heads jumped out on either side of him.

 _Mother. Sasuke. Shisui. Sakura. And_ \- "Tsunade-sama, I never thought I would see you up here!" The well-endowed mermaid laughed heartily and waved it off.

"It's nice to be back here after the mess - but I also got a good reason." She waved a familiar bottle in her hand, which he recognized as none other than the red formula. He gasped in horror. They'd been to Orochimaru's old hideout, hadn't they?

"Itachi," his father said, unable to look at him, "I've failed you and Sasuke as a father in more ways than one. I thought I was doing the right thing, but at the end of the day, change must come. The law still stands that our kind has to be safe from the humans, so I'm allowing you to walk your own path as long as you make sure we are all protected."

Itachi's body wracked, the tears coming in stronger. He looked up when a soft hand was placed on his back, seeing his mother's sweet but sorrowful smile. "I...I will keep my promise," he croaked, then looked down at Sasuke who came up to be on his other side. The younger laid his head on the rock.

"I'm going to miss you, big brother, but I'll do my best to take care of our people and the kingdom." _So Father realized how badly he wronged you, after all._

Sakura flipped her palette tail playfully as she joined her betrothed. "I'll miss you, too, brother-in-law. But I'll damned well take good care of your brother for you."

"And you know you'll miss me most of all, best friend!" Shisui crowed, jumping before them all, making all laugh - and that was the first time Fugaku managed a little one of his own. "Admit it, you will! The one who showed you everything -"

"Yes, Shisui," Itachi interrupted, slapping his hand on the back of the other's head. "I certainly will. All of you." _Every morning and every sunset. My lifespan will be shorter than yours from now on. Thank you all for loving me, and for me loving you. It's more important than anything in the universe._

Tsunade slipped right behind him, uncorking the bottle then. "Step aside then. Let the healer do her work for the patient."

Itachi turned his gaze ahead to watch, biting his lip when he felt the painful split of his flesh and bones. He feared his blood would attract the attention of sharks, but knowing his family, they would handle the predators. He tried to distract himself from the pain by assuming that this would be the first and only time they would use the forbidden formula on him, but would there be a chance someday they would change their life and join land?

The pain was over in no time, and his legs were back, as well as the certain masculine organs which started to throb a little in a non-painful way. "Don't worry about a deadline, Itachi," Tsunade assured him. "She's waiting for you. This is your second and last chance."

He slid off the rock, falling into the water laughing, ignoring the blood that still lingered, and started to paddle towards the shore where his beloved was waiting for him.

The yelling of her name made her head snap up. She had been sitting upright, knees drawn to her chest, when she heard the call. Seeing him standing - he thought he was going to fall forward like the first time, but he was happy he didn't - in the water, wet and naked, she bolted to her feet as if she'd been shocked by lightning. "Naru!"

"Oh, God, Itachi!" she cried, throwing her arms around him when he came to her on the foamy shore. "I thought you weren't coming back!"

He held onto her, breathing in her scent. "I thought the same," he admitted, "but my family let me be with you...if you will still have me, and if your family and friends will accept me again." Hearing that, she stiffened, worrying him.

"You'll have to convince my mom that," Naru told him, looking up. Her eyes were a little red in the white areas.

 _So, Kushina hates me. And I have to work to earn her forgiveness._ He just laughed, even though it did hurt a little, because he remembered the times she turned red at the sight of him and played a part in setting them together; it wasn't completely him alone. "If I didn't know any better, I would say she just doesn't know how to process a real merman being in her life."

"It's more than that. You lied to us all. I never cared that you did, because I understand why." Her arms remained around his shoulders. "Dad, Pervy Sage and Hinata understand as well. But everyone else doesn't know. The official story is a freak tsunami that caught us all off-guard. Nobody knows about the sea monster and your people." A small smile appeared in the left corner of her mouth. "Everyone really celebrated that Pain is dead, and Konan is behind bars."

"Wonderful to know." Who else would even believe the story, correct? "But I wish to hear it from your parents and the others. I want to come back."

Naru giggled. "But first you need something to cover you up, and I am NOT going to say you were lost at sea again - or maybe you can think of something on your own." She winked at him, slipping off the orange wrap around her waist, tying it around his hips to cover up his manly business. This time, she didn't blush when she deliberately looked down there.

 _Oh, right...but I know just what to say._

~o~

When Itachi came back, her world was complete again. Nothing else mattered but him.

For three days, she walked about like a zombie, hardly eating or feeling like doing anything but listlessly helping clean up the streets which were flooded from the storm. Little real damage had been done, but it was a hell of a mess. And on the third day, she went away from everyone to be at the beach...the beach spot that held all those memories that were so blissful and painful at the same time when reality would crash down on her.

When she numbly told Hinata, her best friend's eyes only widened with surprise before they softened with understanding. "I'm so sorry it was never meant to be," was all the Hyuuga could say before she took her weeping friend into her arms.

She couldn't tell any of her other friends what happened, because no one was allowed to know except the small circle of herself, Hinata, her parents and Pervy Sage. Though they did ask her where Itachi was, and she had no answer other than he had not been found yet.

She and her mother barely spoke since their outburst that night, and her dad stood by, not knowing what to do anymore. Nothing in the Namikaze-Uzumaki household was the same ever since Itachi disappeared during the attack on the ocean.

Naru found it in her on the third day to finally leave everyone and sit on this spot alone. She pulled her knees to her chest, hiding her face and crying...until a familiar voice shouted to her beyond. She thought she had literally jumped out of her skin when she saw _Itachi_ coming her way, standing up in the lapping waves, naked as he had been the first day they met. This time she knew why he had been like that. But if he didn't make a deal with the devil this time, how...?

It didn't matter now. He was back with her, and she was whole again. The lovers stood that way for a long time in the embrace, with her orange sarong around his hips rather than her best friend's.

He had explaining to do, and this time could not be "lost at sea". That was why she told him he had to give the explanation himself when she brought him to Hinata's car so they could get him back to the house while her parents were away. She'd kept his few clothes in the closet, not ready to throw away the last thing she had of him.

It stunned her to know he still wore that chain around his neck, the ring and unbreakable bracelet - _a bond that can't be broken._ Who'd ever thought that meaning really applied to them after all?

When Minato and Kushina got back, they were both in for a hell of a shock at the sight of him back in their home after his deliberate disappearance and all those secrets he kept from them. But Minato was more than happy to see him and took him into a ginormous hug that lifted poor Itachi off the ground.

Now, as expected, Mama Kushina wasn't so easy, because Itachi had so much more to do in order to earn her forgiveness after keeping something like what he really was from her, although the best part was she wasn't afraid of him - and she swore she'd help him protect his family and everyone else in that certain part of the ocean, full-time that job was.

She finally offered him that spot on her team with her and Naru. He had more training to take if he wanted to be an environmentalist, but he accepted without a wait. Naru couldn't be happier than he was.

They made a hell of a team, if you asked her, and Itachi might as well be in lead one day. She and Itachi went in together as a pair, to serve as diversion, and she almost knocked him herself when he suggested - just to tease her - that he strip down like the Zabuza incident. To think that had been his innocence in the ways of the human when he did that.

He also learned how to drive, because she personally gave him lessons, and it had been scary as hell, too, since she was a little afraid he would crash them both. The driver's manual, then seeing a personal instructor with a payment plan - it was all worth it, and he got his license in a month's time. He continued to amaze her.

You'd think he'd need help with interacting with the other humans now that there was even more ease than ever before, but Itachi settled in without a fuss. They had all the time in the world, but when a year went by, it didn't even feel like it.

By that year passing, Naru finished college and went to work full-time, and Itachi with her. Because of their hectic schedules - her part-time with him and her mom as well as her studies, and him full-time working - they didn't have much free time anymore like when they first met, but as long as they shared the same home and room at the end of the day, that was enough.

Careers for them both? Checked off.

Her parents accepting their relationship? Also check.

Now that left one more which was on this day: they decided to get married.

You'd ask Naru Uzumaki of all people if she was rushing to marry her first boyfriend, a former merman at that, at age twenty-one, but if her parents could do that, why couldn't she? It took place on the very same spot on the beach near the dock where she and Itachi first met. It was private, intimate and very special. A _torii_ arch had been handmade with helping hands, draped now with looping white and turquoise blue gossamer, and that same fabric draped over the backs of the guests' chairs. The aisle itself was lined up with scattered seashells and strewn red rose petals. It was all simple but wonderful.

Tenten and Hinata were her bridesmaids in misty blue flowery dresses; Itachi had only Neji and Shikamaru beside him. And half the town - all those close - were invited. Choji's family even baked the cake, which had four tiers and an ombre dye from bottom to top, with blue to white, covered all over with shimmering seashells.

 _And Dad as well as Pervy Sage walking me down to him._

Naru's wedding dress was nothing you would expect, as it was laidback and elegant at the same time, in sultry satin with a draping neck, a long train resembling a calla lily, and thin straps to bare her arms. Her waist was curved nicely with a belt fitted to the middle of her hips, going around with brilliant glass beads in blossom shapes. "Got to show off that waist," Tenten gushed when she closed the belt in the back. It wasn't tight to cut off her oxygen at all.

Her hair was elegantly bunned and accented with three fresh white roses, attached to a single simple veil that fell to the length of her arm; Hinata knew how to do this much better than Tenten, no offense.

This morning when her mom helped her get ready with the girls, Kushina gave her the _earrings_ that survived unlike her old wedding dress: fan-shaped drops, the beads and crystals in warm sandy hues. Naru had to take her mother into her stronghold when that was done.

And finally, the most important piece of all. Around her neck was the locket Itachi gave her, now having his photograph to cherish forever.

When he saw her coming his way, holding fresh white roses in front of her, his eyes shone bright. Twinkling like the crystalline waters of the backdrop. "You're beautiful," he breathed when she came to stand in front of him, right after she kissed both her dad and Jiraiya each on the cheek, and then Pervy Sage stepped in front of her and her groom to be the officiant himself.

"Well, my friends," he said to the others watching, nervously laughing, "second time around I got to walk someone down the aisle and then officiate this wonderful day." Now this earned laughter from the witnesses, including bride and groom. _Talking about Mom and Dad._ "Now, to be serious again, we gather today to see the union of this wonderful little lady I see as my own granddaughter - and the handsome man she chose very well." Naru felt her smile tighten, swallowing her laughter as Itachi did the same. Her cheeks burned, but his appeared to be darker than hers.

When there were no objections, the vows were exchanged, and they were married - with three more steps to go. First had come drinking from a cup of sake that rested on a small table right behind Jiraiya, first her turn and then Itachi. Her heart picked up apace when he then picked up none other than the golden clam that had once carried the locket around her neck - and inside were the rings, both customized with their own stories.

"With this ring, I thee wed," Naru said softly, sliding the simple but powerful band of antique, ridged rose-gold, snug on his finger perfect. He looked down at it with sheer amazement, and then he picked up hers to repeat the words and ritual. Hers was also rose-gold and set with a pattern of opal to aquamarine, to convey a mermaid's underwater treasure.

 _Oh, God, I'm married. I'm so happy, so excited!_ When husband and wife were allowed to kiss now, Naru wanted to jump off the ground herself and bring them to the clouds while their friends and loved ones - because what was hers was also his now - cheered for them. Kurama even jumped on them both and licked them like he was going to lose them forever. The ocean waves behind them lapped wildly with the joy.

Was Itachi's family watching them now, but safely hidden from view?

~o~

A year was more than he could have asked for, more than a week or a month at the very least. In all that time, his life took a turn for the better when he learned to drive and get around without help - though it scared his beloved, only he was willing to learn it to make her happy. He could understand why it would be so frightening, because people could get in crashes if they didn't pay attention to the road. It came with all kinds of consequences for irresponsibility. Accidents did happen, but it didn't excuse.

 _Little prices to pay, but being human comes with them._

Itachi Uchiha missed his family in the sea, but he also gained a new one on land. Everyone missed him. He had to fight for mostly Kushina's side, and it seemed all it took was her finally letting him be part of her team which was a dream come true. She was keeping an eye on him to see if he really was worth all the trouble that happened. He was desperate to prove himself to her as he begged her numerous times before, and in a few months that went by, with training, he showed it.

His name became known when came the critical endangerment of a species of whale in the ocean, another regarding overfishing - which would help Minato's ship and his competitors.

Once, fishermen were considered dangers, but humans needed to survive as much as merpeople.

When Naru went back to school in fall a few months after his return, he found that he missed her while he worked beside her mother. The pay was decent enough, and sometimes stressful - for some - but it was worth every trouble. "Well, I guess," Kushina told him one day when it was just them both, "because you and I are similar with knowing wildlife so well, I can keep you." She winked at him. _She lived in the forest once outside the town, so she knows what she is talking about._

She surprised him by giving him a big kiss on the cheeks. "I can't wait until you and my girl get married. That way you won't ever leave the house - or better yet, we'd have to move someday and get a much bigger place for grandkids!" _Some things won't change._ Itachi chuckled nervously and said nothing.

When he heard about the word marriage, he also learned that humans should never "jump the gun", although in earlier times, it was for eternity, even if things could change. But in his people, marriage was indeed forever, and feelings never changed even if the merman or mermaid did. After a year, it was more than enough time for him.

The town was very excited when the news got out about their engagement.

He and Naru could have moved out if they wanted to, but they were both comfortable with her parents - although little did they know they would someday realize that they needed another place to live in town. Housing was limited these days on the market. "An apartment in one of the bigger parts will be better," Naru suggested. "Just you and me."

Saving up on a home was something he was learning to contend, but resources weren't something he was not a stranger to. He would gladly do it all for her and their future. And another serious matter he researched and had to ask Minato's help on - no longer any secrets between them.

What he had seen of the man and his wife that one time was only the beginning, but there was so much more than just moving for each other's pleasure. He already knew human males were more advanced in showing the extent of their masculinity on the outside of their bodies as well as inside. Females had the "slit and pearl", and like men, that part was covered with a patch of hair that connected to the tops of the thighs and vanished deeper into the nether regions. They grew this when they started to reach adolescence, or teen years.

There were three categories of intercourse: anal sex, which was when the man stuck his sexual organ into his partner's rear end. Oral sex - mouth usage on the intimate parts. The third form was what Minato and Kushina did, also known as vaginal sex; the term was a label for the man entering the woman.

Itachi could never get over these terms and phrases that made him burn hotter than the sun, but he doubted Minato fared any better. At least this tradition was in that men discussed this amongst themselves while women kept to each other.

The risks to come could be unplanned pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted diseases, which was the warning across the globe these days. Safe sex was practiced with things like condoms and contraceptive pills, otherwise known as birth control which women and girls took to avoid conceiving at an unplanned time. But despite that, transmission of the viruses could still happen via oral pleasure. This information worried Itachi greatly, but he knew he could trust Naru as she was a virgin, telling him she had a hymen, which was a small piece of flesh that was broken by first contact at any time in life.

There were also certain restrictions on acts like incest, premarital and extramarital, and just as disgusting were activities with young children, rape and prostitution, sex with animals - zoophilia - and sodomy which was anal or oral on animals or perhaps two people with rough means. Itachi felt like he'd wanted to throw up when he read this in certain books from the local library. Adultery was the most outlawed, and that was cheating on your husband or wife. It was also sacred within the merpeople to keep to your mate. To even think about being with another meant punishment by death. He swore he would NEVER do that to his Naru.

With all this knowledge, Itachi couldn't wait until their wedding night, which was when they would do it.

What better to marry her than on the beach with everyone watching? Also per tradition, the bride and her family planned the majority; well, both her family and HIS, except in Itachi Uchiha's case, he was the only one to know nothing. But when she said she wanted it on the beach where they first met, he burst into joy that it had to be a place of significance. He didn't know what the final decorated spot would look like until the day came.

He didn't think a human bride would be as beautiful as she looked when she came towards him, her father on one side and Jiraiya on the other. They were married that day by him, with joyful loved ones and friends watching...but were his family watching somehow?

The party to follow that day took place at Akimichi's Bar and Grill, falling well into nightfall, and then he and Naru went to their motel room for the next few days. This was based on points - and on the business itself - rather than just money. Itachi was excited to have this room all to himself and Naru. A bamboo curtain was over the window which was right above the bathtub in the corner, and the single bed was covered with a scenic quilt. Warm, inviting, and intimate.

"First time I'm away from Mom and Dad like this," Naru noted as she was the first to walk in. She sat on the foot of the bed and watched him, unsure of what to do. Itachi couldn't help but feel a little worried now. This area of copulation was more than what his kind would do. When he told her the tricks of the trade, it didn't seem to affect her as much, strangely.

"How...do you want to start this?" he asked, unbuttoning his white shirt until it was all the way down.

Naru stood up, facing him as she was taking off her jewelry, then walked around to set them on one of the bedside tables. Then the belt that accented her petite waist was removed. Her veil had been taken off just before the celebration with their guests had begun. She was nervous as he was, afraid of messing their first time up. But then she walked over to stand in front of him, leaning up to kiss him on the lips. "Let me."

Itachi stiffened when she pushed off the shirt and let it land on the floor. He continued to watch, the shivers exciting him now more than frightening him. His new bride continued to kiss him, now her way down his body. She took both of his nipples into her teeth, making him gasp at the gentle bites and the pleasure she was giving him. He felt the strange, burning feeling in between his legs. He was aroused. Both partners had to feel the same; otherwise, it wouldn't end well on one or either part. Itachi bit on his bottom lip when her tongue played with his belly button, and then stopped when she reached the line of his khaki shorts. Air washed over his sensitive arousal when she pulled his underwear down along with the rest of the fabric, leaving him naked.

Suddenly, he felt self-conscious about himself. He quickly put his hands over his exposed manhood, making her giggle and look at the spot where he hid himself. He didn't know why he did it, but maybe because after all this time, they would finally see each other like husband and wife would. Love had nothing to do with just body parts, and while the merpeople were naturally naked, the humans had more religious beliefs regarding nudity and intimacy. He understood it all now, although today, things were slowly changing in the privacy of the bedroom.

He didn't realize Naru's hands pulled his away to show all of him. His length was dark red and tipped with a white liquid pearl. The fine dark curls crowning its base had a name as well - pubic hair. He didn't think to look and see where the term came from since he'd felt he'd gotten to know enough of what he needed to mate eternally with his beloved. He gasped at the feel of a moist appendage over the tip of his sex. Naru had _licked_ him.

"Do you like it?" she asked, looking up at him, releasing him from her mouth to his disappointment. He nodded. The tightening felt like it was going to unravel, but he wanted it to be someplace other than out in the open, making a mess.

"Want to go to bed?"

She stood up then and reached for the straps of her dress, and it slid off her body, showing a strapless two-piece of white which was eventually gone, showing her beauty to him. Itachi held his breath for a moment before he let it out as he took in what she looked like for the first time. He knew her curves well because of those swimsuits she wore when they hit the beach, but now to see her breasts and her womanhood covered by a small dark blonde triangle of pubic hair - she was impeccable. She brought both his hands to her chest, so he could take a feel of her breasts. They were so soft, easy to knead, with a firmer core. Her nipples were larger than his, made for suckling. The dark pink buds were just as sensitive, though.

"Naru." He leaned down and kissed her, his arms pulling her close and burying his face into where her neck and shoulder were. He was overcome with a wave of burning passion he couldn't describe with words bigger than his own body was.

Naru reached behind her and took out the flowers from her hair, letting the silky curls fall down her back for him to run through. "Oh, Itachi. Yeah, let's hit the bed now." Her hands ran themselves over his back, gently scratching and kneading the muscles. It stirred his blood into a boil.

"I hope that I won't hurt you, my love," Itachi whispered when they found themselves in the bed, one light turned out so one remained, and on low point to make the mood more personal. "I heard it could..."

She shushed him gently with a finger on his bottom lip. "I know, but it won't last that long," she reminded him tenderly. With a nod, Itachi did as the manual said and aligned his hips with hers, slowly finding where her entrance was beneath the curls, brushing against the sensitive bud of skin which made her moan, and then he found the sweet, slick cavern. It felt so good against him, and he made sure to look at her face to see if she was really enjoying it as much as he was. She looked like she was.

"Hurry," she begged. _She can't wait anymore._ With that, he thrust his hips forward once and felt the little bit of skin that represented her purity, and she was all his. He tried not to sound or feel too possessive, but it was meant to be from the beginning. Naru did cry out once, but it was a moan in no time when they made love slowly and sweetly, before it became too much for them to hold back.

Itachi didn't know what was going on other than the fact he was connected to his new wife, thrilled in the fact he was a husband - a _human_ one - and his greatest dreams come true. He fought for this to happen, and he would continue to fight to keep it all until his very last breath.

When it was all over, he found himself on his back, right beside her, and she the same, before she turned and curled into him. It was...mind-blowing and magnificent. He wanted to go again, but their bodies needed to rest first. While they did, his mind found itself unwittingly going back to the place that was what happened at the end of sex: the man's seed, or sperm, would take root within the woman and eventually impregnate her. Did Naru already begin to do so after just this first time?

He pushed the question aside for now. He just wanted to enjoy tonight and the next few days with his beloved.

"I wish we could meet your family," Naru spoke after a moment, sadly, resting her head against his heart.

Something inside Itachi cracked when she brought up his family. If they were to do that, then it would be extremely difficult, because the truce was agreed that they would be protected at all costs...however, Shisui did have his habit of sneaking out as he wanted to, and late at night meet his cousin by the boat dock like they used to.

He wasn't going to tell Naru yet, but he had an idea.

~o~

It felt wonderful to be married. Itachi was a god. No girl she knew was ever lucky to have someone like him. And on their wedding night - he had been so gentle with her, asking her if he was making her feel as good as he was now. Who ever got to be like her every day?!

Today was the third and final day of the honeymoon. The weekend was a dream that she didn't want to end, but she doubted it ever would. She and Itachi didn't have many hard times, but when they would come, they would brave them together.

That morning, she and Itachi sat at the dock of the beach where the wedding took place, dipping their feet into the waters. She was in a sleeveless denim shirt and capris - no jewelry except her locket and wedding ring - and he in a navy blue t-shirt and matching shorts. He said that he wanted to be out here for awhile, just looking out at the ocean and enjoying the sights with her. He never even asked for so much, and she never asked so much from him either. There was no such thing as perfect, but he was.

 _He's perfect AND imperfect in one. He was a merman, but look at him now. I saw him in both forms, and he's everything a girl could ask for._

"Naru, there is one thing you asked of me that I'll be more than happy to give you," he told her, looking down at her as she leaned into him. "You asked if you wanted to meet my family." She gasped and looked up at him. He...he was saying...!

On cue, there was a collective splash before them both, at their feet a distance or two away. She gawked at the sight of the people with the black fishtails with silver flaps, each with their own color in the scales, as well as the striking blonde woman with the green-and-purple tail as well as the girl who looked to be Naru's age. _I've never seen someone with hair pink as the tail - or pink hair anytime. And her eyes are an amazing shade of green._

Itachi's family was right there, pleased to see her and to give their blessing. "Everyone, this is my wife Naru," he told them, then started introducing her to them. "Naru, my father Fugaku, my mother Mikoto, little brother Sasuke. You already know Shisui." She nodded and giggled when the guy in question waved his hand at the same time as his tail. "These ladies are Tsunade, our healer from an allied clan, and Sakura who has just married my brother..."

They spent much of the morning in these shallow waters greeting and getting to know each other. Naru Uzumaki - no, Naru _Uchiha_ \- didn't think her new husband's family would love her as much as they did. Reality could screw itself with some things being too good to be true. She looked up at him as he leaned down and kissed her in front of them all, before they were both playfully splashed by the collective tails of the Uchiha family as well as the healer who had revealed she'd helped Itachi have his permanent place beside her.

 _You're so lucky to have a family like this, even if you sacrificed your tail for me...my mermaid prince._


End file.
